Thawing A Frozen Heart
by Maleficent332
Summary: Tigerstar somehow managed to resurrect himself, at the cost of losing all his memories. StarClan, untrusting of the dangerous tom, sent Firestar back to defeat him if necessary. However, something went wrong. Firestar is sent back as a she-cat. Sparks fly. They do say opposites attract. But is this good or bad? Will they destroy the clans, or save them? Even StarClan doesn't know.
1. Allegiances

_Hey guys! This is a fanfic of mine that I've gotten to be pretty serious about. I've had this idea for a while, it just bouncing around in my head, and now I've finally decided to write it. :) If you do decide to read it, I hope you like it! Also, t__he awesome cover is created by Graystorm11. _

_P.S. this is set a few moons after The Last Hope, but does not have all of the Bramblestar's Storm allegiances and warrior's name and that kinds of stuff for ThunderClan because I started writing it before the proper allegiances came out._

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, Erin Hunter does._**

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue:<strong>

* * *

><p>Two litters of kits were born that day. One at dawn. The other at dusk. One of the litters bore a kit with great resemblance to the greatest menace ever to face the lake.<p>

One would think it was just a fluke, but it isn't. There's something more to this than it just being a coincidence. It was a cat, reborn. Maybe a second chance. Maybe something sinister.

They couldn't tell, so they sent a second cat to be reborn.

The second litter bore a kit with great resemblance to who was known to be the most noble of the leaders ever to rule over a clan. However, something went wrong, and this one was a she-cat.

It didn't change what had happened, however.

Fire and Tiger will return to the clans once more.

…

A slender gray she-cat blinked sleepily down at the three kits curled at her belly. A soft smile crept onto her face, her eyes glowing with love and affection. She wrapped her tail around them, bringing them closer to her.

"Cinderheart?"

Then there was a loud rattling noise and a golden tabby burst into the nursery, eyes wild with panic. He seemed to sag down to the ground with relief as he saw she was okay. Once his sun-colored amber eyes caught sight of the three kits, it seemed to fill him with energy. He padded tentatively towards her, each step light, eyes wide.

"Two daughters and a son." She smiled weakly up at him.

The golden tabby looked at her, eyes round with affection. He flicked his tail lightly over her mouth, pressing close to her. He covered her face and ears in licks as he murmured compliments. "They're perfect." He whispered in her ear.

"What shall we name them?" She asked softly. Her vision had finally cleared, the black spots that had previously been dancing across her vision had gone. She looked down upon her kits, relieved that they weren't blurry as they had been before. She let out a quiet gasp, astounded at how _beautiful _they were.

The mother gestured towards their firstborn, and the two parents cooed over how little but perfect she already was. She was a slender, fluffy dark gray, almost black she-kit. She had a black muzzle, and her eyes were squeezed tightly shut as she pressed against her mother, snuggling against her.

"Hollykit?" Cinderheart suggested, a thorn-sharp stab of pain hitting her chest as she thought about her best friend. Hollyleaf was a brave and intelligent she-cat who had died for her clan. "What do you think, Lionblaze? How about it."

The golden tabby's eyes were clouded but he nodded, his amber eyes shimmering. The next, a pale silvery gray she-cat with dark smoky gray dapples with black ears. "What about Spottedkit?" Lionblaze offered.

Cinderheart nodded in approval. They looked at their last kit. A small tom. The runt of the litter. He had a dark golden tabby pelt, tinted with brown. Despite his small size, he looked as if he had the makings of a fine warrior. The gray she-cat opened her mouth to suggest the name Sparrowkit, when Lionblaze cut her off.

"What about Tigerkit?" Lionblaze suggested, but he sounded a bit hesitant. Cinderheart's eyes flashed reproachfully as she gazed up at her mate, who had that their son, their beautiful newborn son, was to be named after one of the greatest villains the clans by the lake had ever seen.

She blinked up at him. "I was thinking, Sparrowkit." She meowed warily. "Don't you think Tigerkit… might be bad luck?"

Lionblaze shook his head. "Tigerstar was… a good warrior. He was strong and courageous. It was just his bloodthirsty ambition that made him a menace to the clans." He nudged his son affectionately, who let out a squeak of surprise and complaint. The sound made his heart swell. "Our son will be loyal and good at fighting."

The gray tabby she-cat pressed her lips into a thin line, still unsure. However, her mate sounded so sincere and so genuine as he looked lovingly down at his son that she just had to agree. "Alright."

"Hollykit, Spottedkit and Tigerkit." Lionblaze breathed, his lips curling into a broad smile. "Welcome to ThunderClan."

…

A blue-furred she-cat sat solemnly, her tail wrapped over her paws. Stars glittered in her pelt, frost at her paws. Behind her sat a ginger-furred tom.

They were looking into a pool, dissatisfied.

"Tigerkit." The blue-furred she-cat meowed, her voice a hiss. "Tigerstar. The resemblance is uncanny. This can not be a coincidence." She raised her head, looking at the other cats.

The ginger furred tom stepped forward, eyes wide. "Impossible. Tigerstar was defeated into the great battle." He meowed, but he sounded uncertain.

"He must have managed somehow to save a part of his soul and rebirth it." The blue she-cat meowed softly. "We must stop him. The Dark Forest can not rise again. We will be lost. The three have lost their powers, and the fourth is… is here with us."

"Send me back." The ginger tom meowed, without hesitance. "ThunderClan is in danger, and it is my duty to save it. Trust me, I can do this, Bluestar."

Bluestar smiled faintly at him, touching her tail to his shoulder. "It is a noble offer, Firestar." She meowed softly. "But if you are to be sent back, you will lose memories of this life. And this life of yours has been good."

The noble tom flinched as if claws had been raked down his spine. "I'll forget everything? My daughters- and Sandstorm?" He looked miserable, a shadow passing his eyes.

"You will be born into your… your daughter's litter." Bluestar meowed quietly. "You will still know them, but you will have no memories of them."

"Born into my daughter's litter?" Firestar meowed in protest, eyes wide with complaint. "That's… that's not…"

Bluestar sighed heavily. "I know, Firestar. This is purely your decision. I will not force you to do anything you don't wish to do."

The ginger tom's muscles tightened, but he raised his head. "I will go." A muscle in his jaw twitched as he spoke, his ears twitching sadly.

Bluestar reached forwards, and the two cats touched noses. A flood of warmth passed between the two cats. Their friendship. "Good luck, Firestar." She whispered. "May StarClan light your path, and may your second life be just as noble as your first."

The ginger tom padded towards the pool, trembling slightly.

"Wait-" Firestar turned around to face her. "Will I ever get my memories back?"

"Perhaps, after you die." Bluestar meowed. "When you return to StarClan, you will receive your memories back." She muttered something under her breath, but Firestar heard it. The she-cat had muttered 'I hope'.

He swallowed nervously but stepped forward. He felt the water of the pool lapping at his paws, and he focused on his daughter. Squirrelflight. He tapped her image with his nose, and he felt himself get sucked underwater. He let out a cry and then everything was whirling and black.

…

"One more!" A gray tabby meowed to the queen he was helping give birth. The rising and falling of her chest was uneven as she gasped for air and writhed with pain. "Push!"

Her stomach rolled beneath his paw as she pushed. Her muscles pushing outwards and the kit slowly slithering out. "Another she-cat! Congratulations, Squirrelflight, you have two healthy daughters."

A plump cream-furred queen called out. "Bramblestar, you can come in and see your kits now! But don't be too loud; don't wake Cinderheart's kits."

A dark brown tom streaked into the nursery, his pelt fluffed up and eyes round. He eyed at the she-cat nervously, his chest rising and falling as if he himself were the one giving birth. He looked so relieved at seeing her it was as if she was the first queen ever to survive giving birth.

"Oh, StarClan." Bramblestar breathed, eyes glowing. "They're beautiful."

"Two daughters." Squirrelflight smiled weakly.

The new parents looked lovingly down at their two kits. The firstborn, a bright ginger she-kit with a pale orange belly. "How about Firekit, after Firestar?" Bramblestar offered, looking kindly down at his daughter, eyes twinkling.

Squirrelflight nodded enthusiastically, despite how worn out she was. "The second kit…" She looked down at the other kit. She had a dark brown tabby pelt with a white paw and ginger ears. "Owlkit?"

"Firekit and Owlkit." Bramblestar grinned giddily as he gazed down at his daughters. "They're so beautiful. I'm so proud of you, Squirrelflight. They'll be the best warriors in the whole clan."

…

A large creature sat. Her fur as black as night, with a single white streak running down her spine. Her eyes berry-bright as she regarded the blue-furred she-cat sitting near her.

"Why Firestar is she-cat?" She demanded, her voice a low rumble.

The blue-furred looked bewildered. "I… I really don't know." Bluestar meowed helplessly. Then her eyes hardened. "It won't affect too much, will it?"

Then bulging muscles of the badger rippled as she stiffened.. "I do not know." She rumbled. "Future is clouded. I do not see what lie ahead."

"What do you mean?" Bluestar demanded, up on her paws immediately.

The badger looked into the blue-furred she-cat's eyes. "You ever hear, 'opposites attract'?"

"You think they'll fall for each other?" The blue-furred she-cat all but shrieked.

The badger didn't move or respond, just gazed solemnly up at the blue-furred she-cat. "I do not know." She pointed a paw at the pool, where the two litters of kits slept peacefully. "But this not should happen. Firestar not meant she-cat, he is tom."

Bluestar's throat felt dry.

"I do not know if will effect plan." The badger rasped gravely. "Maybe Firestar change Tigerstar. Maybe love destroy hatred. Or Firestar blind with new love to do plan. Or maybe everything fine. I do not know. Must wait to see."

* * *

><p><strong>Allegiances:<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>ThunderClan:<strong>

**Leader:** Bramblestar-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:** Lionblaze-golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice: Firepaw**

**Medicine Cat:** Leafpool-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentice:** Jayfeather-gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**Warriors:**

Brackenfur-golden brown tabby tom

Cloudtail-long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Millie-striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Thornclaw-golden brown tabby tom

Spiderleg-long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall-light brown tabby tom

Whitewing-white she-cat with green eyes

Berrynose-cream-colored tom

Hazeltail-small gray-and-white she-cat

Mousewhisker-gray-and-white tom

Cinderheart-gray tabby she-cat

Poppyfrost-tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Foxleap-reddish tabby tom

Icecloud-white she-cat

Toadstep-black-and-white tom

Rosepetal-dark cream she-cat

Briarlight-dark brown she-cat

Blossomfall-tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Bumblestripe-very pale gray tom with black stripes

Ivypool-silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Brightheart-white she-cat with ginger patches

Molewhisker-brown and cream tom with amber eyes

Seedpelt-very pale ginger she-paw

Lilyheart-dark tabby she-cat with white patches

Dewfrost-large dark gray tom with amber eyes

Amberflight-gray and white she-cat with amber eyes

Spottedfur-slender gray she-cat with darker smoky gray markings and blue eyes

Hollyfrost-fluffy dark gray she-cat with amber eyes

Tigerflame-dark brown tabby tom with a pale muzzle and underbelly and pale amber eyes

**Apprentices:**

Firepaw-fiery ginger she-cat with an orange underbelly and green eyes

**Queens:**

Daisy-cream long-furred cat from the horse place

Cherryfall-ginger she-cat with amber eyes, mother to Toadstep's kits: Pebblekit (white tom with black speckles and bright amber eyes) Redkit (small dark fox-red tom with green eyes)

Dovewing-pale gray she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Bumblestripe's kits: Dawnkit (gray and cream she-cat with pale yellow-amber eyes) Silverkit (lanky silver tom with darker stripes and blue eyes) Shadekit (small, short-haired dark gray she-cat with amber eyes) Fernkit (pale gray, almost white she-cat with dark silver flecks and blue eyes)

Squirrelflight-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes, expecting Bramblestar's kits

**Elders:**

Purdy-plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle

Graystripe-long-haired gray tom

Dustpelt-dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm-pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

* * *

><p><strong>ShadowClan:<strong>

**Leader: **Rowanstar-lithe dark ginger tom with green eyes

**Deputy: **Pinenose-black she-cat

**Medicine Cat:** Littlecloud-very small tabby tom

**Warriors:**

Crowfrost-black-and-white tom

Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Owlclaw-light brown tabby tom

**Apprentice: Marshpaw**

Scorchfur-dark gray tom

Tigerheart-dark brown tabby tom

**Apprentice: Pricklepaw**

Ferretclaw-black-and-gray tom

Stoatfur-tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Grasspelt-pale brown tabby she-cat

Spikeclaw-dark brown tom

**Apprentices:**

Pricklepaw-dark gray furred she-cat with black stripes

Marshpaw-dark brown tom with black spots and green eyes

**Queens:**

Snowbird-pure white she-cat

Dawnpelt-cream-furred she-cat, mother to Crowfrost's kits: Ravenkit (black-furred she-cat with a single cream paw and amber eyes) Flamekit (pale ginger tom with green eyes) Dapplekit (white she-cat with black spots and green eyes)

**Elders:**

Snaketail-dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail

Whitewater-white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye

Ratscar-brown tom with long scar across his back

Oakfur-small brown tom

Smokefoot-black tom

Kinkfur-tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles

Ivytail-black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat

* * *

><p><strong>WindClan:<strong>

**Leader:** Onestar-brown tabby tom

**Deputy:** Harespring-brown-and-white tom

**Medicine Cat:** Kestrelflight-mottled gray tom

Warriors:

Crowfeather-dark gray tom

Nightcloud-black she-cat

**Apprentice: Hootpaw**

Gorsetail-very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

Weaselfur-ginger tom with white paws

Leaftail-dark tabby tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice: Oatpaw**

Emberfoot-gray tom with two dark paws

**Apprentice: Stagpaw**

Heathertail-light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Breezepelt-black tom with amber eyes

Furzepelt-gray-and-white she-cat

Crouchfoot-ginger tom

**Apprentice: Fawnpaw**

Slightflash-black tom with flash of white on his chest

Featherheart-gray tabby she-cat

**Apprentices:**

Hootpaw-dark gray tom

Oatpaw-pale brown tabby tom

Fawnpaw-creamy brown furred tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Stagpaw-nimble brown-furred tom

**Queens:**

Sedgewhisker-light brown tabby she-cat, mother to Emberfoot's kits: Fogkit (pale gray-furred tom with green eyes) Rabbitkit (fluffy light brown tom with pale green eyes)

Larkwing-pale brown tabby she-cat, mother to Crouchfoot's kits: Gingerkit (bright ginger she-cat with green eyes) Volekit (mottled ginger and brown she-cat with bright blue eyes) Mudkit (brown tom with blue eyes)

**Elders:**

Whiskernose-light brown tom

Whitetail-small white she-cat

* * *

><p><strong>RiverClan:<strong>

**Leader:** Mistystar-gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy:** Reedwhisker-black tom

**Medicine Cat:** Mothwing-dappled golden she-cat

Willowshine-gray tabby she-cat

**Warriors:**

Mintfur-light gray tabby tom

**Apprentice: Streampaw**

Minnowtail-dark gray she-cat

Mallownose-light brown tabby tom

Grasspelt-light brown tom

**Apprentice: Pebblepaw**

Duskfur-brown tabby she-cat

**Apprentice: Fishpaw**

Mosspelt-tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Shimmerpelt-silver she-cat

Lakeheart-gray tabby she-cat

Heronwing-dark gray-and-black tom

**Apprentice, Pricklepaw**

Lizardfur-light brown tom

Perchtail-gray-and-white she-cat

Icewing-white she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentices:**

Streampaw-pale blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

Pebblepaw-gray-and-black tom

Fishpaw-gray, white, and black tom with green eyes

Pricklepaw-light brown she-cat with spiky fur and blue eyes

**Queens:**

Petalfur-gray-and-white she-cat, mother to Mallownose's kits: Ripplekit (silver tom with a white ear and amber eyes) Gullkit (gray tom with white paws) Troutkit (dark gray tom with white ears) Creamkit (pale creamy brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes)

Havenspots-black-and-white she-cat, expecting Lizardfur's kits

**Elders:**

Pouncetail-ginger-and-white tom

Pebblefoot-mottled gray tom

Rushtail-light brown tabby tom tom

* * *

><p><strong>Cats outside of clans:<strong>

Owlpaw-dark brown tabby she-cat with a white paw and ginger ears and amber eyes


	2. One: Tiger

_Wow. Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows. That was... an unexpected amount. :O Anyway, here's the next chapter. This was probably the fastest update I've ever done. xD_

. . .

Tigerkit is what you would call a survivor.

When he was born, he was ill. Fatally ill. He drifted in and out of consciousness for a few days, a frantic and lethal battle between life and death. He hardly suckled, only drinking when he had enough strength, which was only a few heartbeats of the few sunrises in which he struggled.

The medicine cat, however, could not find what was wrong with him. It was as if he was bleeding- but there was no wound. He had nearly worried his parents to the brink of exhaustion and horror, before Jayfeather had finally announced the fragile kit had pulled through.

Due to his unfit state, he had also not opened his eyes yet. Of course, during the few blurs of consciousness that he had passed through and was not suckling, he stretched his senses to explore. He had discovered a warm, nurturing shape pressed tightly against him. A soft voice filled with an emotion he couldn't really understand. There was a warm, sweet, milky scent clinging in the air that he could taste when opening his mouth, or simply just smell.

These were all things he had discovered.

However, even after he had finally stabilized, and his safety was ensured, he still did not open his eyes. It wasn't that he didn't feel ready- because, he did. It was that he had great difficulty doing so. He would try, only to fail. He just wasn't strong enough.

Today was different. His mother was gently stroking his fur, murmuring the same comments into his pelt as she always did. She was telling him what a great warrior he would be, despite his few difficult early days. As always, she was promising she would be patient, and that she and his father would wait for him and always love him.

But despite his difficulty in health, the kit wasn't stupid. He could easily detect the tremor in her voice, the stressed emotion radiating from her pelt, the worry, the fear. She was afraid her only son would never become truly well.

Today, he vowed to make his mother proud. He used up all his energy and strength, and forced his eyelids open. He felt as if they were being ripped open, and he let out a thin but strong squeak of shock as the bright light hit him, and his vision was dancing with white.

He blinked once, his vision still blurred. Impatient, he blinked multiple times, unwilling to wait any longer to explore the world he was to live in. As the little tom opened his small pink mouth, a sound came out. He didn't really know how he had done it, but he just did.

"Momma?" He meowed, his voice sounded high and squeaky.

The gray she-cat lifted her head, and that moment- that moment made his heart swell as he knew he was loved. Her eyes glowed as bright as stars as she stared at him, her eyes round and filled with love and affection. She looked as if she was ready to burst with pride, as if she was ready to start jumping in delight.

She wrapped her tail tightly around him, drawing him close. "Tigerkit!" She let out a purr, her voice sweet and caring as she addressed her kit. "You've opened your eyes!" She lowered her muzzle to inspect him closer, and her eyes shone. She cooed. "Amber. You've beautiful eyes- just like your father."

He let out a whine of complaint. "Momma, you're squeezing me." He protested. But he didn't really mind. His mother purred and purred and purred as she rasped her tongue over his head and ears. She was actually so pleased.

Tigerkit flushed with pride as he wriggled out of his mother's grasp and sat down again. Nervously, he wiggled a paw. He blinked, startled, as it moved. He picked himself up, only to wobble and fall back down again.

"You can do it." Cinderheart encouraged him, her voice bright and enthusiastic.

Her words gave him strength. He grit his teeth and planted one paw firmly on the ground in the nest. Then the other. When he had firmly placed all four paws onto the ground, he pushed upwards. He grinned giddily. He was standing! The feeble kit took a step forwards, and wobbled slightly.

He let out a thin squeak as he began to fall.

Something shot out and caught him. A sleek gray-furred tail. He looked up, but he already knew who's it was- it was his mother, Cinderheart's. As she withdrew her tail, he noticed the movements it made. The way it was twitching.

He smiled cheekily up at his mother. Something about her tail caught his interest, and forgetting his determination to learn how to walk, he leapt forwards, not really thinking on how to do so, and pranced on her tail. He dug his small kitten claws into her fluffy tail.

The blue-eyed she-cat was too happy to be angry at the kit. "Let's go find your sisters and father, Tigerkit." She suggested instead, deciding to push off disciplining till later.

The little tom looked around the nursery. A pale cream-furred she-cat was asleep in one of the nests, her flank rising and falling in a steady manner. There were a few other nests, but they were empty and without any other cats in them. The walls of the nursery were neatly woven, without any stray twigs sticking out. There were patches of bracken on a few places to prevent drafts.

He decided the nursery was boring.

"Okay." He nodded in agreement. His mother's tail was at his side, steadying him, as he took his first wobbly steps forward. He didn't fall, leaning slightly against the firm tail for support.

Soon enough, the determined tom was taking wobbly but strong steps all by himself. He hadn't even noticed that his mother had withdrawn her tail, and was flushing with pride as she gazed down at her baby.

He began to bounce up and down, energy fueling him. He tried to run forward, but tripped and stumbled over himself, dust flying onto his pelt.

Immediately his mother was at his side.

"Are you okay?" She fretted, looking anxiously over his pelt.

He blinked once. The fall was shocking and unexpected, but it didn't really hurt much. "I'm okay." He decided, giving her a brave nod before running forward again. He tripped, but steadied himself before he could fall.

"Slow down, Tigerkit!" She called after him.

He didn't listen, however. He was far too excited. He could see the exit of the nursery, a gap up ahead. He ducked under it, but in that movement, he stumbled and rolled over himself, sprawling ahead. The kit slammed into something soft and furry.

There was a loud, indignant squeak. "Hey!" Someone meowed. Tigerkit mumbled something inaudible before raising his head and looking at the cat he had crashed into. She was a dappled gray kit with dark blue eyes, similar to their mother's. She blinked in surprise as she saw him. "Tigerkit?" She meowed in shock.

"Hi." He meowed cheerily, waving his tail. He guessed she was his sister. "Are you Spottedkit or Hollykit?"

She grinned at him. "I'm glad you finally opened your eyes." She rolled her eyes. "You took forever, lazy-paws." She teased, poking at his side. She straightened up, and stuck out her tongue. "My name is Spottedkit. Soon to be Spottedstar, great leader of ThunderClan."

Tigerkit attempted to shove her playfully, but she hardly budged. He cringed at his own weakness, before he let out an awkward cough and straightened up. "No way." He meowed, trying to sound convincing. "I'm going to be Tigerstar, the best leader the whole forest has ever seen!"

He felt something push into him, and then he was being pinned to the ground by a fluffy dark gray-black she-kit. She was looking down at him, amusement twinkling in her pretty amber eyes, similar to his own. "You?" She giggled. "You're smaller than a mouse!"

Tigerkit flinched slightly, even though he knew his sister was just teasing. It was true- he dreamed of being the best leader, but how could he? He was tiny, and not to mention- weak.

"Hollykit, be nice to your brother." A sharp voice cut into their conversation. "He'll grow to be as big as your father."

Then a thick-furred golden tom pricked his ears and bounded over. As he saw his son, he halted for a moment. Then his eyes glowed and he, too, looked ready to burst with pride. "Tigerkit! You've opened your eyes!" He gasped, rushing over to his son and rasping his tongue over his ears.

"Yep." Tigerkit announced proudly. "They're amber. Just like my fathers." He blinked slowly, peering past the tom, trying to spot his father. "Have you seen him around?"

The golden tabby exchanged an amused look with Cinderheart. Then paws thumped onto Tigerkit's chest, and he was flattened to the ground by a very excited kit.

"He is our father, you mouse-brain! That's Lionblaze! He's the deputy!" Hollykit squealed.

"Get off me!" Tigerkit demanded. Then a cheeky light made his eyes twinkle. "You've been drinking too much milk. You're heavier than three kits put together."

His sister jumped off him, pouting. "Hey!" She protested. "Just because your light as a feather, doesn't mean the rest of us are heavy!"

"Everyone is at a healthy weight." Lionblaze decided. "And Hollykit, I'm only standing in for deputy while Squirrelflight is nursing her kits."

"Lionblaze, can you teach me a hunting crouch?" Hollykit squealed, bounding up to her father and bouncing around him like an energetic ball of fur.

He laughed, and shook his head. "You're still too-" He meowed, but was interrupted by an excited Tigerkit.

"Hey!" He interrupted, stretching out a paw and pressing it against his father's thick pelt. "We have matching fur!" He grinned.

"Young." Lionblaze finished after his son had announced it. "And yes, Tigerkit, we do. You're fur is just a bit darker than mine."

When the kit was born, he had heard his parents telling him he had golden fur, more on the dark side. However, as he aged, it got darker and darker, and the brown tint grew more obvious. He assumed that his pelt would become brown soon, however.

Their parents shook their heads, amused. "Hollykit, why don't you show your brother to Squirrelflight's kits? They haven't seen him with his eyes open yet." Something caught her attention, and she rolled her eyes. "Great, StarClan, Spottedkit! Leave the poor elders alone!"

Lionblaze purred, rubbing his cheek against his mate. "Want to hunt and stretch your legs? I'm sure Squirrelflight is more than capable of watching the kits while you go out." He suggested.

The gray-furred queen narrowed her eyes at her kits, then relaxed. "Alright." She purred. "It'll be good for me to spend some time outside the nursery. It's been almost a half-moon, after all."

"Almost a half-moon?" Tigerkit cried out. "When did they open their eyes?" He jabbed a paw towards his sisters.

Hollykit smiled smugly. "I was first." She reporter. "I opened my eyes after three sunrises. Spottedkit was four."

"Three sunrises?" Tigerkit wailed, looking crestfallen. "That's so early… Why was I so late?" He already knew the answer- it was because he was ill.

Cinderheart's lips were pressed into a thin line. "You were… sick, honey. It's alright, there's nothing to worry about. You're all better and strong now." She gently tapped Tigerkit's head with her tail, smiling kindly.

Tigerkit frowned a little, then brightened up. "I'll grow into a strong warrior, won't I?" He meowed happily.

"You'll be a great warrior." Lionblaze promised him. "Now go play. Even the best warriors start out as kits."

"Okay!" Tigerkit shouted over his shoulder as he ran, waving his tail.

Hollykit was standing not too far ahead. She looked exasperated. "You guys talked for so long!" She complained. "I was waiting for, like, ever." With a huff of annoyance she spun around and stalked towards the other kits.

Tigerkit grumbled something under his breath as he realized they were all she-kits. Not a single tom for him to play with. His two sisters, and two others. One had a dark tabby pelt, and the other had a flame-colored pelt.

"Hi." Tigerkit greeted.

The ginger kit looked at him in contempt, sniffing haughtily before turning away as if she were too good for him. Her sister, however, looked apologetic and waved her brown tail. "I'm Owlkit." She meowed in greeting. "Sorry about my sister. She's just like that. Oh, and her name is Firekit."

Firekit. The golden-brown furred tom thought, tasting the name in his lips. For some reason- 'Fire' felt familiar. He couldn't really place where it sounded familiar, or why a feeling of faint resentment rose at the mention of it. He dismissed it, deciding his parents had probably talked about her and that had made him jealous or something, back when he was ill.

He decided to acquaint himself with her. "Hi." He meowed, almost awkwardly. He tapped her shoulder lightly, but he just whirled around, blinking coldly at him. "I'm Tigerkit."

"I know." She meowed at him, shrugging. "It's hard to not know a kit who takes a half-moon to open his eyes." A sneer formed on her lips, bitter amusement dancing in her eyes.

"I was sick." Tigerkit meowed quietly, but his pelt still seared with shame. "It's not my fault."

"Maybe not." She shrugged. "But they wasted a lot of herbs on you- a kit who will never become a good warrior."

Every word she spoke stung. A few jumped out at him. 'wasted'. 'never'. He flinched away from her, cowering miserably.

"Hey!" Spottedkit shouldered the flame-pelted she-kit away. "That's not true. Tigerkit will make a great warrior. Someday he'll be a better warrior than you."

Firekit sneered. "Even if I go blind, I'll still be a better warrior than that useless lump of fur." She twitched her ears, looking down at him as if he were pathetic.

"I'm not useless." Even to him, his voice sounded weak. He was trembling with anger, but he didn't do anything about it. He just stayed there, crouched.

Her words stung- as any insult would, but they also stirred some sort of fire in his stomach. Some resentment. Something old, seeming as if it were from a long time ago.

She snorted. "Even the way you talk- it's weak and trembling." She faked a trembling cry. "Help me!" She mocked him. "I'm such a coward! I'm so afraid!"

"I'm not a coward!" Tigerkit meowed hotly, standing up.

A rush of adrenaline pumped through him, and something dark and reddish blurred across his vision. A flashback? A memory? He didn't know what it was, but it felt familiar. He didn't have time to see it before his vision returned to normal again.

"Oh, yeah?" She taunted, waving her tail mockingly. "Prove it."

With a yowl of anger he lunged at her, but to his great dismay he was too weak to deal any damage. He couldn't even knock her off her paws. He caused her to stumble once or twice, but she never fell over. She just stared down at him, eyes filled with contempt. "Very strong." She meowed sarcastically.

"Firekit. Stop it." A voice, calm and collected was heard from behind them. A dark tabby kit stepped forward, eyes flicking between the small kit and her own sister. "Leave him alone."

"Yeah." Hollykit growled, standing in front of her brother. "Go away and leave him alone."

Firekit looked furious at all of the cats standing against her, but with an angry sweep of her tail she stalked away, head held high and chest puffed out.

"Sorry about that." Owlkit apologized for her sister. "Just because we're the deputy and the clan leader's kits…" She shrugged helplessly, amber eyes round. "She thinks she can do anything. I'd better go talk to her…" With that the kit bounded away towards Firekit.

"It's fine." Spottedkit meowed reassuringly to Tigerkit. "She's just a bit headstrong. She'll come around. We can play on our own while waiting, okay?"

Hollykit's gaze lingered on the two she-cats over near the clearing, but she quickly jerked back to attention. She nodded her head fast. "Yeah." She meowed, attempting to make Tigerkit feel better. "We don't need them." But her gaze on the two other kits showed how she would rather be with them than with Tigerkit.

"It's fine." Tigerkit mumbled, averting his gaze. "I'm… I'm tired. I think I'm just going to take a nap anyway."

With that he padded silently back to the nursery, feeling down.

As he crumpled into his nest, he wondered one thing.

_Why does Firekit hate me so much?_


	3. Two: Fire

_Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favs! Anyway, here's the chapter._

...

The outside sky looked incredible; an frozen mix between midnight and dawn. The sun had not quite finished rising, but that didn't prevent it from illuminating the outside world. The sky was a unique ombre of colors; it was a dark blue at the top of the sky, where the sun hadn't quite reached, however, one could still see the sun, the flaming red sun which was peeking out shyly from behind the mountains. It was startlingly beautiful.

The trees were coated with snow, their bare branches swinging and trembling from the force of the icy wind that was buffeting against it. They casted dark shadows on the ground; the crooked, gnarled branches looking like sharp claws. A few icicles hung from tips of twigs, some of them breaking off with a quiet cracking noise.

A cold breeze fluttered through the sleepy, frozen world, brushing past and seeping right past the flesh and heading straight for the bones. The air was thick and foggy, with a strong metallic scent of ice hanging in it. Cold things were beautiful.

A flame-pelted ginger kit was crouched at the edge of the nursery, sulking. "Stupid Tigerkit." She muttered, flicking her ear angrily.

It had been two moons since she had first bullied him. He hadn't stood up to her yet, but she did notice how fast he grew. In size, strength and in intelligence. Instead of cowering before her, he now just raised his muzzle, blinked coldly at her and just padded away silently. He was increasing larger and larger, and now was almost as big as she was. His shoulders were growing broad, his pelt thickening, stripes more visible.

He was getting to be handsome.

She cringed at her own thoughts. An image of the kit darted through her mind, and she was actually surprised at how much he had changed. From a golden furred runt to now a broad-shouldered dark tabby. She personally thought that he looked better with a brown pelt then he did with a golden one.

"Firekit!" The call jerked her out of her thoughts, and the slender she-kit raised her head, surprised that a cat other than her was awake. It was a tabby she-kit with a pelt that was only slightly paler than their father's. She felt the warmth from her sister as she slid down beside her. "Why are you awake?"

The ginger kit twitched her whiskers irritably. _Why do you have to know? _She however, managed to keep her voice calm. "Couldn't sleep." She lied, shrugging. _She doesn't need to know the truth- that I'm actually thinking about Tigerkit. _"Guess I'm just too tired to sleep."

Her sister rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah?" She scoffed, voice dripping with scorn. "When have you ever been too tired to sleep?"

"Dunno. Guess I just started now." Firekit meowed, shrugging carelessly. She was reminded at how much her sister's pelt matched her father's. She loved her father- he was strong and brave. He was a fine leader and wasn't too ugly. He was always ready to listen about her problems, and offered the best advice he could give. Being the leader of ThunderClan, he didn't have much free time, but he still managed to come by often and spend time with his kits. She admired him.

"No." Owlkit rolled her eyes. "Why do you have to be so dramatic all the time."

The two sisters didn't get along too well. They didn't have a bond as close as their mother, Squirrelflight, had with her sister, Leafpool. Nor were they as close as Dovewing and Ivypool. Or Lionblaze and Jayfeather. They were friends, but something about them caused disagreements.

_Almost as if we weren't supposed to be sisters. _Firekit dismissed the thought, shaking her head in annoyance. Every so often she had thoughts like this, but they were always ridiculous. They had to be sisters- they didn't have a choice in the manner. Not to mention their matching leaf-green eyes and slender figures.

"Why do you have to be so annoying?" Firekit retorted, voice rising, eyes flashing as she glared poisonously at her littermate.

Owlkit let out a huff of annoyance and exasperation. "Somebody's in a mood. I'll talk to you when you're less grumpy." With a swish of her tail, she padded back towards their mother, a sleeping ginger ball of fur, and sank down into the nest near her.

Something pierced Firekit's heart- guilt, sorrow, regret. She wanted to call her sister back and apologize, but she decided against it. Sighing heavily, she lay down, resting her head on her paws.

She closed her eyes and awaited for sleep to come, but for some odd reason Tigerkit wouldn't leave her thoughts.

_"Traitor!" Firekit yowled. She flung himself at a dark brown tabby, slashing at his eyes. The tom reared back, forced to release his grip on a blue she-cat's throat. She felt her claws rip through his opponent's ear, spraying blood into the air._

_The blue she-cat scrambled to the side of the den, looking half stunned. Firekit could not tell how badly hurt she was. Pain lanced through her as the dark tabby gashed her side with a blow from his powerful hind-paws. Firekit's paws skidded in the sand and she lost his balance, hitting the ground with the tom on top of her._

_The dark tabby's amber eyes blazed as he gazed into Firekit's eyes. "Mousedung!" He hissed. "I'll flay you, Fireheart. I've waited a long time for this."_

_Firekit summoned every scrap of skill and strength she possessed. He knew his opponent could kill him, but in spite of that he felt strangely free. The lies and the need for deceit were over. The secrets were all out in the open. There was only the clean danger of battle._

_She aimed a blow at the tom's throat, but he swung his head to one side and her claws scraped harmlessly through thick tabby fur. However, the blow had loosened the strong grip on him. She rolled away, her heart thumping as she realized she had narrowly avoided a killing bite to her neck._

"Wake up!" A fluffy dark gray shape stood over her, eyes round with bewilderment. "You were thrashing around in your sleep and murmuring the name 'Tigerstar'."

The ginger she-kit blinked in shock- her dream, it had felt so real. She rasped her tongue over her side, almost expecting to see the wound from where the dark tabby had gashed her. Two things stuck out to her most from that dream- the tom had looked exactly like Tigerkit, and he had called her 'Fireheart'.

She shuddered. The dream had felt too real. It felt more like a memory than a dream.

Firekit pushed the possibility away, knowing perfectly well that it was impossible that it was a memory. She wasn't a Fireheart, and she definitely was not strong enough to fight a tom like that.

_Maybe it's the future. Me and Tigerkit's future version… fighting. _She blinked in bewilderment. Should she tell Jayfeather about her prophetic vision? No- she wasn't sure if it really was the future or just something her brain had made up. She didn't want to worry him.

"Hello?" A sharp prod to the sides took her out of her thoughts.

"What?" She snapped, annoyed. She looked to her side and noticed it was the same cat as before, the fluffy dark gray she-cat she knew as Hollykit. The gray she-cat was a good friend.

"Who's Tigerstar?" Hollykit inquired, ears twitching.

Firekit shrugged, still irritated that Hollykit had woken her up before she could have finished her dream. "I don't know." She grumbled, tail flicking.

"Well, we're going to the elder's den to ask for a story. Want to come?" The amber-eyed kit offered, bouncing a little on her paws.

"Who is 'we'." Firekit meowed, lifting her muzzle to look up at her friend.

"Me, Spottedkit, Owlkit and…" Hollykit trailed off, looking slightly hesitant. "Tigerkit."

A growl rose in her throat at the mention of the kit who for some reason always seemed to make her feel as if her tail was tied in a knot. "Fine." She reluctantly agreed, picking herself off her paws and padding after her friend.

They neared the elder's den. Purdy was asleep, Sandstorm was in the clearing. However, Graystripe was there, smiling kindly and entertaining the kits. He hadn't started however.

"Hi, Firekit!" Spottedkit greeted her, waving her tail in a friendly manner.

Owlkit acknowledged her sister with a sharp nod, but her lips were still pressed into a thin line and her eyes were narrowed, clearly unforgiving of her sister's rude behavior.

_I'll apologize to her later. _Firekit decided.

Tigerkit didn't say anything, just focused his gaze on the elder before him.

Hollykit settled down next Spottedkit, while Firekit sat between Owlkit and Spottedkit. She didn't like the sides, she liked to be in the center. She especially loved the spotlight- the center of attention.

_One of the best things about being the leader's daughter- having a lot of attention._

"So, what story do you kits want to hear?" Graystripe meowed, shifting into a more comfortable position.

"I want to hear about the-" Tigerkit suggested.

"Tigerstar." Firekit interrupted, standing up straight. "I want to hear about Tigerstar."

Something about that name felt familiar. It was nagging at her, but she just couldn't remember it. She stifled a feeling of irritation. As she looked at Tigerkit, she thought she also saw a flash of recognition in his eyes before it melted away into a blank look of bewilderment.

Graystripe narrowed his eyes, frowning for a moment. Then he sighed and nodded. "Very well. What do you want to hear about him?" He meowed after what seemed like forever.

"His personality." Firekit meowed.

"No, we want to hear about if he was good or bad." Tigerkit meowed, interrupting her. His voice was loud and determined and he narrowed his eyes.

The other three kits were quiet as they looked at the exchange between the two.

"Well, which one is it?" Graystripe asked, but he still sounded uneasy.

"Personality." Firekit meowed. "Good or bad." Tigerkit demanded at the same time.

"Shut up, mouse-brain." Firekit snapped angrily, shouldering him. To her surprise, he only slightly stumbled and didn't fall, managing to straighten himself up quickly.

"You shut up!" Tigerkit growled. "I should get to choose. I share the same name as him!"

"Who cares? It's just a name!" Firekit hissed, irritated.

"Let's just do Tigerkit's first." Spottedkit pleaded. "Then we can play a game, any game you want, Firekit."

"The game I want to play is the game where Tigerkit isn't around." Firekit growled.

"Hey." Graystripe interrupted. "Don't let him feel left out…"

"No." Tigerkit meowed, surprisingly loudly. He was sitting straight, his nose held high, eyes determined as he gazed at Graystripe. "It's okay. We do my story, and I'll leave them to play their game. I don't mind."

"You sure?" Graystripe meowed nervously. The kit gave him a firm nod. "Alright. Tigerstar started out as a hard-working apprentice. He was a strong warrior and he was smart- good with battle strategies, and very deceitful. He, however, wasn't… good."

"What do you mean?" Hollykit demanded.

"Be quiet, let him finish." Tigerkit meowed, his voice surprisingly strong.

"He tried to murder our old leader, Bluestar, but Firestar stopped him. Firestar was a good friend of mine- he was a very hard-working and determined cat." A twinkle appeared in his eyes as he stared at Firekit. "You were named after him, you know." She blinked in surprise- she had never really asked about her name. "He was also compassionate and loyal. He fought against Tigerstar and saved Bluestar. However, that wasn't the last time Tigerstar appeared." Graystripe continued.

"What do you mean?" Firekit demanded.

Tigerkit glowered at her. "Just shut up!"

"Tigerstar re-appeared many times throughout the history. He was an evil cat. He went to ShadowClan and became leader, and at one point of time even allied himself with a group of rogues that called themselves BloodClan. However, their leader, Scourge, murdered Tigerstar. But death didn't stop him. He went to a place…" Graystripe looked uneasy, his eyes flitting around nervously. "A bad place after death- not StarClan."

Spottedkit's eyes were stretched wide. "Where did he go?"

"The Dark Forest." Tigerkit replied immediately, then blinked in confusion. "How did I know that?" His voice was quiet, as if talking to himself, but Firekit heard him. Firekit heard him clearly.

Graystripe was staring at the kit oddly, but carried on. "Anyway, he plotted against Firestar. He wanted to take over the forest. He was a very ambitious cat, but unfortunately those ambitions were evil. He then got more and more followers and even recruited a few disloyal and bad cats from the lake- alive cats, and trained them in their dreams to earn their loyalty."

"Really?" Hollykit gasped.

"Really." Graystripe nodded. "The cats from, as Tigerkit had already told you, the Dark Forest came and attacked us. There was a great battle fought and many noble cats lost their lives. It was the prophecy that saved us- the prophecy of four. The four cats in the prophecy were, Firestar, Jayfeather, Dovewing and Lionblaze. Afterwards, Firestar finally defeated him and Tigerstar is gone now, so do not worry."

"Woah, Lionblaze?" Spottedkit shrieked. "That's my father!" She bounced up and down a bit before calming down.

"Firestar." Firekit looked smug. "I was named after a great hero." She shot a glare through narrowed eyes at Tigerkit. "You were named after a villain."

He meowed nothing, just stared icily back at her. He nodded at Graystripe, thanking him for the story, before withdrawing and slinking outside silently.

Firekit watched him go, but something inside her still felt uneasy. One of the scenes Graystripe described- Bluestar, Tigerstar, Firestar. She was sure that Tigerstar was the tom that had attacked her, and Bluestar was the blue cat, and Firestar was Fireheart- her. It matched perfectly. But how could she have a dream of something from the past? How could she have known about this?

And why did Tigerkit seem so interested in Tigerstar…?


	4. Three: Tiger

_Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favs. I didn't expect so many. O:_

Also, to those of you who are wondering about them being related... well, I've already thought of that. Since Firekit wasn't supposed to be born into the litter, and rather did it last minute and swapped souls with the other kit who was originally supposed to be the 'Firekit', I'm thinking that he would still be like... Firestar-ish, and the same with Tigerkit. Also, a lot of cats in ThunderClan have inbreeded because sooner or later, they will all be related to one another somehow.

. . .

"Why are you always so mean to me?"

Two cats were standing nose to nose. Fur bristling, eyes blazing and tails lashing. One a dark tabby. The other a ginger. The dark tabby slightly taller than the other.

"Why are you so annoying?" The ginger one retorted, digging her thorn-sharp claws into the ground.

The dark brown one's eyes stretched wide in disbelief. "How have I ever annoyed you? I don't even talk to you." He spat in frustration, raking one of his claws across the ground.

To both their shock, his claws dug deep. The left deep gouges across the ground. Abnormally deep gouges.

"Just stay away from me, Tigerkit." The ginger one snapped, before spinning around and flouncing away, tail held high and chest puffed out.

"Fine! You stay away from me too, Firekit!" He shouted after her, but his face was filled with hurt as he slowly withdrew from where he was standing before.

After he left, a little spark in the tom died. He sat down, shoulders sagging, ears drooping. He looked crestfallen and alone, sitting there quietly in his side of the clearing. He couldn't understand- why did the pretty she-kit hate him so much? Every time he tried to make friends, his offer would be rebuked.

_It's not like I want to be her friend, anyways. Whatever. _He told himself, but most of the time he didn't even believe himself. He did want to be her friend, and he wasn't exactly sure why.

He felt fluffy fur brush his side and lifted his muzzle in hopes it would be her, but it was a dark tabby, just like him. She had a white paw however, and ginger ears. "Owlkit." He acknowledged, but he didn't change his stance at all.

She was nice- but she wasn't Firekit.

"I'm sorry about my sister, Tigerkit." Owlkit meowed quietly, ears flattened against her head. "She can be a real pain in the tail sometimes."

Tigerkit sighed. "I just don't understand- why does she hate me? What have I ever done to her?" He shook his head wildly, narrowing his eyes in frustration. "I know she used to despise me for being weak, but look how much I've grown! I'm bigger than her now!"

"I'm sorry." Was all the dark tabby kit could offer, looking sorrowful. "I guess she thinks quiet is weakness."

"What do you mean?" Tigerkit sighed, slumping down to the ground and curling his bushy tail over his nose.

"Well, you're often quiet around her. You're confidence is… quiet." Owlkit muttered, almost looking embarrassed. "But it's okay- I like that you're different." She touched her tail lightly to his shoulder, offering him a faint smile.

Her smile warmed his heart and he returned it, brushing lightly against his pelt. But he twisted his head and saw Firekit playing with Hollykit, his sister, and he wished she would play with him.

Something about her just drew him towards her. He didn't know what it was.

"I'm going to show her that quiet is strength." Tigerkit meowed, standing up. He shook his pelt, shaking the dust and leaves off. He then rasped his tongue over his chest and shoulders, dark amber eyes gleaming as he padded towards her.

"Tigerkit..?" Owlkit called after him.

The tom turned his head back. "Yes?"

"You look exactly like Bramblestar." Owlkit meowed, looking slightly bemused.

"I…" The tom stammered, looking down at himself. His broad-shoulders. Strong frame. Dark amber eyes. Dark tabby pelt. He grinned back at her. "Hopefully I'll be as amazing as she is. Then we can be just like him and Squirrelflight- because Firekit takes after her."

Owlkit looked astonished. "You want to be mates with my sister?" Something was in her voice… a dark emotion. He couldn't quite detect what it was, but she didn't look pleased about what he felt.

"Well…" He meowed, flushing bright red. "No, I just mean close friends."

The she-kit behind him let out a sigh of relief. "Thank StarClan." Tigerkit shot her a weird look, and she quickly stuttered. "Um, it's because you're related and stuff… Technically, she would be your aunt."

The dark tabby shrugged it off. "Doesn't feel like she's my aunt." Then he bounded away, tail flicking. For some odd reason, he could feel Owlkit's gaze lingering on his pelt. Almost longingly. He dashed forward towards the two playing kits, confused on where Spottedkit was. He noticed her sleeping peacefully in the nursery.

Hollykit looked surprised as he came over. "Hi, Tigerkit." She meowed a greeting.

Firekit just glared pointedly at him, as if saying; go away.

"Hey, Hollykit. We're five moons now, and we'll be apprentices soon." Tigerkit began, his mind whirling as he began to slowly devise a plan. "So- I think we should sneak out of camp. Just you and me."

The dark-furred she-kit looked doubtful. "What if we get caught?" She meowed nervously.

"We won't." He promised her. "And if we do, then I'll take full blame."

He knew Firekit would demand to come as well- because when did she ever like to miss out on things?

"I'll go too." Firekit butted in, eyes gleaming. "You're going to need someone that knows how to navigate."

"I can navigate!" Tigerkit snapped at her.

She sneered at him. "Keep dreaming, mouse-brain."

_After this, she'll never think of me as a mouse-brain ever again. She'll think of me as the most brave tom in the whole lake-area. _

"Let's go." Tigerkit meowed, grinning. The three kits padded lightly over to the fresh-kill pile, then Tigerkit began acting as if he was choosing a shrew. They kept shuffling through the prey until Cloudtail left the dirt-place tunnel, then all three kits streaked forward, almost tumbling over each other to get into it.

"Dirt-place is nasty." Hollykit commented as they padded through it, swerving and twisting around to avoid stepping on the other cats' business. Tigerkit agreed, crinkling up his nose in disgust.

Finally, they burst out of the dirt-place tunnel and were in the forest. It was slightly spooky.

Light filtered through the branches of the tallest trees, dappling the forest floor in a unique pattern of light and dark shades. Clumps of leafless brambles shuddered and rattled as the icy wind brushed past it. The branches creaked, their leafless twigs looking almost like claws up there. The floor, coated in a thin layer of frost, was cold to step on.

"Cool." Hollykit grinned, dashing forwards. "Let's see if we can hunt something!"

"I bet I can catch a squirrel!" Tigerkit bounced around a little, tail lashing with excitement.

"As if." Firekit scoffed. "It'll probably be bigger than you."

The two kits glared at each other.

"Hey guys, follow me!" Hollykit's meow was lost in the blood roaring in Tigerkit's ears as he glared angrily at Firekit. Frustration surged in him.

Both kits were so lost in their argument that none of them noticed that Hollykit had wandered off, all by herself. In the cold.

"Why do you always do this?" Tigerkit snapped, angry. He spat at her, and took a step closer. "I've been trying to become friends with you since I was a half-moon old. Every time you rebuke me. Why?" He demanded. He didn't sound desperate anymore- just infuriated.

Firekit glowered back at him. "Why do you try so hard to be my friend? Don't you get it?" She practically shouted at him. "I. Don't. Want. To. Be. Your. Friend!"

"But why?" Tigerkit yelled back at her. "Your sister likes me. Even your mother likes me! I'm kind and polite and I've done nothing to offend you, ever!"

"What do you mean, my sister likes you?" Firekit snapped, suddenly looking a lot less angry.

"She's always hanging around me. I think she wants us to be close friends. I always thought you would be the sister I'd become close with, but I thought wrong." Tigerkit's voice was suddenly cold as ice. "I'm sick and tired of you bullying me and treating me like dirt."

"I wasn't bullying you…" Firekit protested. "It was playful teasing."

"Shut up." Tigerkit yelled at her. "It wasn't playful teasing and we both know it. You're a bully. A mean bully. You always taunt me and make me feel like I'm not wanted and that I'm useless. But you know what? I'm not useless. I'll be a better warrior than you ever will."

Firekit's eyes flashed with determination mixed with anger. "You? Please." She sneered at him, looking angry as well. 'You'll be the worst warrior in ThunderClan. Even my father can tell. And he's the leader. I take after both of my parents and am named after a legendary leader- I'll be the best warrior in all of ThunderClan. Then the best leader in history!"

Tigerkit mimicked her, voice a cold snicker. "Keep dreaming, mouse-brain." With that, he shouldered her across, as hard as he could, and she stumbled and fell onto the ground, letting out a squeak of surprise. The tom looked around for Hollykit. "Hollykit! Let's go."

No reply.

Firekit spat at him. "Even your sister doesn't reply to you." She tried. "Hollykit, come on. Let's leave your dung-faced brother and go back into camp and play!" Her ginger coat was flecked with frost.

No reply, again.

Cold claws pricked at Tigerkit's spine, and worry began to stir in his belly. "Where is she?" He meowed, sounding anxious and worried. He swiveled his ears, hoping to catch a noise, but he didn't.

"Maybe by the Sky Oak." Firekit meowed. "She might have wanted to catch a squirrel to please you."

"The Sky Oak is way too challenging for a little kit like her to go to." Tigerkit snapped, frustrated.

Neither of them stopped to wonder how they even knew what the 'Sky Oak' was.

"Hollykit!" Firekit called, her voice loud.

"Hollykit!" Tigerkit yowled as well. There was still no response. Tigerkit looked miserable and afraid. "Oh, StarClan. I've dragged her into this and now I've lost her. This is all my fault! What if she's dead?"

For once, Firekit didn't make a witty remark. She just stared solemnly into the frosted forest. "She has to be around her somewhere. If we aren't frozen yet, then neither should she."

The two kits padded through the snow, relieved it wasn't snowing. They padded strongly forward, but after walking for a while their pads began to sting with the cold and beginning to shiver, the icy wind whipping at their pelts.

"I'm s-s-starting to f-freeze." Firekit stuttered, teeth chattering.

"M-me too." Tigerkit shivered, fluffing out his pelt in hopes that it would block out the strong wind. Unfortunately, kit-fluff didn't count as 'thick enough' to block out the coldness of the wind.

"Where is she?" Firekit shouted in exasperation. She whirled on Tigerkit. "This is all your fault! You brought us out here! You weren't watching! If she's dead, it's all your fault!"

"My fault?" Tigerkit snapped. "If you haven't been such a pain in the tail, then we wouldn't even have lost Hollykit!"

"Shut up!" Both kits yelled simultaneously before shooting each other dark scowls and stepping a mouse-length apart. They trudged on through the frosted forest, beginning to feel hopeless.

_Oh, Hollykit. Where are you? _They wandered around, turning left. A horrid thought sliced through Tigerkit. "What if she's wandered on another clan's land?" He whispered, horrified. "What if they've taken her?"

"We have to tell Bramblestar." Firekit meowed, looking defeated as well. "He'll have to come out and find her."

They looked around one last time, then sighed. Tigerkit nodded in defeat, then they began trudging back the way they came. For some odd reason, both kits somehow knew exactly where they were going.

"How do you know where we're going?" Firekit suddenly asked, glancing in surprise at Tigerkit.

He looked surprised as well. "I… I don't know. I just feel as if this way is right."

"You feel as if this way is right?" Firekit shrieked. "That means you must have gotten us lost! You mouse-brain!"

"I wasn't even leading!" Tigerkit protested. "We were both padding that way. If we both felt it was right- it probably was right!"

"How could we know what is right?" Firekit snapped. "Use your logic, dung-face. We're kits! We've never been out of camp before!"

"Oh, what?" Tigerkit snapped. "So we're just going to sit here and freeze?"

"Mouse-dung!" Firekit yelled. "I hate you!"

His eyes flashed reproachfully at her. "I'm going to follow my gut. You can sit out here and freeze." Was all he said finally, before turning away from her and trudging through the forest. After a few heartbeats, his ears picked up the sound of her paws scuffing across the ground as she dashed forward, trying to keep up with him.

_Afraid of being alone. _He thought smugly. _Coward._

Tigerkit's teeth were chattering to the point of no stop, and he was shaking so much he could hardly set down his paws. He was so cold he was beginning to feel numb at his ear-tips, tail-tip, pads, and nose. Looking behind him, he saw Firekit struggling, before collapsing onto the ground. She looked exhausted.

"I'm so cold." She whimpered. "And I'm so tired. And I just want to go back."

"I know." Tigerkit meowed quietly. "Me too."

However, she didn't hear. To his horror, her eyes fluttered shut.

"Firekit?" He dashed over to her, heart pounding. Blood roared in his ears as he nudged her. Her flank was rising and falling- showing her being alive, but it was slow. She felt icy cold, and she was shaking so hard. Determination coursing through him, he nudged at her side, slipping his muzzle under her back. He flattened himself down, then rolled the kit onto his back.

He walked for a while, his paws shaking with exhaustion and the cold. The weight of two kits was too much for him to carry, and he crumpled beneath her. Both kits lay there limply, exhausted. Firekit must have been unconscious, because he couldn't seem to wake her up. He gripped her scruff and began to drag her across the ground, praying that her fur wouldn't freeze as he dragged her through the frosted ground.

After he felt as if he would die from exhaustion, he heard a yowl of relief. "Tigerkit! Firekit!" Then paws thundered forward, and he collapsed.

Black spots danced across his vision, and he struggled to remain conscious. He was so tired and hungry and cold and regretful. He saw a few pelts flash across his vision, and then himself get gently lifted up. Then his eyes slipped shut and he lost his grip on consciousness.

…

A dark tabby tom shifted around in his nest. He blinked open his eyes, flinching slightly at the harsh light that stung at his eyes.

"Where am I?" He mumbled.

His dreams were full of snow and Hollykit.

"The medicine cat's den." A voice meowed gently. A light brown tabby came into vision as she padded forward and rasped her tongue reassuringly across his ears. "Are you alright, Tigerkit?"

He let out a quiet groan. "Hollykit. Where is she."

The two exchanged a look. "She's fine." Leafpool meowed quietly. "But she broke her paw."

"What?" Tigerkit shot upwards, eyes wide. "How?"

"She climbed up a tree- well, attempted to, and she fell." Jayfeather meowed bluntly, blind blue eyes seeming to bore into Tigerkit's pelt. He squirmed uneasily.

"What about Firekit?" He mumbled.

"She's still sleeping. She fell unconscious on your way back, a while before you did. She'll be fine. You both will." Leafpool reassured him, stroking his pelt softly with her tail. "Why don't you go back to sleep?"

"Okay." He mumbled, letting out a loud yawn. He stretched once then collapsed back into his nest.

…

"Can I go back to the nursery now?" Tigerkit whined, looking awake and refreshed. "I've been cooped up in here for a whole sunrise now. I can't stand it any longer!"

Leafpool looked amused. "You're going to be cooped up in the nursery a lot longer, but yes Tigerkit, you can. First of all, you're going to have to talk to Bramblestar."

He looked over his shoulder at the leader's still sleeping daughter. He cringed just thinking about what he would do to him.

"Okay…" He mumbled before slinking out of the medicine cat's den and towards the clearing. There, waiting for him, was his parents, Squirrelflight and Bramblestar. He flinched with each step he took closer to them.

"How could you do that?" Bramblestar meowed angrily at him, as soon as he got within range. "That was impulsive and dangerous and you could have frozen to death or gotten killed."

Tigerkit ducked his head shamefully. "I'm sorry, Bramblestar." He mumbled, actually looking embarrassed.

"If I was Bramblestar, I'd delay your ceremony." Lionblaze butted in, giving his son a stern look.

Squirrelflight looked faintly amused as she addressed him. "I seem to remember three adventurous kits who snuck out of camp and went _fox hunting._"

Lionblaze flushed dark red. "Well, we got punished for that, and so should he."

"You went foxr-hunting?" Tigerkit exclaimed, eyes wide. "But I thought foxes were huge!"

"They were. And so they almost got killed, just like you did. And they got punished." Squirrelflight meowed, looking kinder than the rest of the cats up there.

Cinderheart looked as if she was dying, having to be silent.

Bramblestar was in thought, then sighed, looking more soft. "It was a reckless thing to do- never do it again, understood?"

"Yes, Bramblestar." Tigerkit mumbled.

"Okay. You're punishment is that you will be confined to the nursery for a half-moon, and you can only leave if accompanied by Daisy, Squirrelflight, or your mother." Bramblestar decided.

"What?" Tigerkit exclaimed, looking horrified. "But… But…"

All four cats shot him a stern look, and he sighed.

"Okay. I'm sorry." He apologized, looking down at the ground.

Then it was his parents.

Cinderheart glowered at him. "How could you be so reckless? You almost got your sister killed! She broke her paw, for StarClan's sake."

"I'm sorry, mother…" Tigerkit tried apologizing again, but she wouldn't take it.

"You'd better think about what you've done." Lionblaze told his son sternly. Then he nodded at him. "Go to the nursery, and rest."

Cinderheart looked as if she were to protest, wanting to shout at Tigerkit some more, but Lionblaze held her back. She gnawed on her lip and stared anxiously at the medicine cat's den.

Tigerkit's shoulders sagged, ears drooped, tail dragging across the ground. He padded into the nursery before sinking into one of the nests.

"Are you okay?" Spottedkit asked, her head shooting up, eyes wide.

"No." He muttered.

"Mom and dad will get over it eventually." She soothed him.

"Just let me sleep." He snapped.

He turned over and squeezed his eyes shut, sighing before slipping into a dreamless sleep.


	5. Four: Fire

_Wow! Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favs! :O Here's the chapter~_

...

Firekit couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned but she just couldn't, so sighing she picked herself up and sat at the corner of the nursery. Quietly she rasped her tongue over her pelt, giving herself a thorough grooming. She wanted to look nice for tomorrow.

Tomorrow. Her apprentice ceremony.

_I can't believe I'm finally going to be an apprentice! _Her punishment was only a half-moon, but it felt like forever. Everyday she would sit, moping in the nursery. Her mother refused to take her out most of the time because she was irritated with her- telling her that the leader's daughter should have some discipline, that she should be more like Owlkit. _Mouse-brained Owlkit. She's always been mother's favorite._

Out of the corner of her eye, she detected movement. Her ears flicked upwards, immediately alert. She relaxed as she realized it was just Tigerkit. He was tossing and turning as well.

It struck her as odd that Tigerkit looked more like her father than she or Owlkit did. She shrugged, dismissing the thought. _Tigerkit probably just got it from Lionblaze, and his pelt-color is a mutation or something._

She watched as one of his dark amber eyes opened and peered around in the darkness, then his other. They were twin points in the darkness, two dark amber points. They glinted coldly as they passed over her, as if she was nothing. As if she meant nothing.

It would be a lie to say that she didn't regret rejecting his friendship. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like if they were friends. But they couldn't be. She didn't know why- but she felt this forlorn feeling every time she was nice to him. As if something bad had happened between the two of them.

The slender ginger kit rolled her eyes at how ridiculous she sounded.

She felt herself stiffen as Tigerkit stood up, and then she relaxed instinctively as he sank back down into his nest. He squeezed his eyes shut once more. She didn't pause to check if he had drifted off to sleep.

For some reason- all the thinking made her feel drowsy. Her paws felt heavy, and she suddenly felt too tired to pad back to her nest. She closed her eyes and curled up tightly, wrapping her tail around her nose before drifting off to a peaceful sleep.

…

"Firekit! Wake up!" A fluffy dark gray she-kit was looming above her, eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's our apprentice ceremony!"

For a heartbeat Firekit was confused. Why was Hollykit saying 'our'? Then she remembered. It is extremely rare for two separate litters of kits to be born in one night- but her litter and Hollykit's litter were, so their apprentice ceremony was together. She let out an inward groan- would she never be free of Tigerkit?

The slender she-kit picked herself to her paws, blinking her round green eyes a few times. "Okay." She mumbled, voice still sounding slurred. She tottered over to the clearing where Spottedkit, Hollykit, Owlkit and… Tigerkit, were already standing.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highledge for a clan meeting!" Bramblestar yowled, his eyes glowing with pride. He gazed affectionately down at his two daughters, both of which were equally excited to become apprentices.

Squirrelflight rushed over and immediately began fussing over Owlkit's pelt. Lionblaze was grooming Spottedkit while Cinderheart groomed Hollykit.

A thorn of jealousy stabbed at Firekit as she watched her mother groom Owlkit. Anger and jealousy swirled inside of her and she scowled for a moment before rasping her tongue over her own pelt. Briefly- she wondered if that was how Tigerkit was feeling, being the kit that wasn't getting groomed.

Bramblestar's loud voice cut off her thoughts. "Today, I am doing one of my favorite things as clan leader." He began.

Squirrelflight had finished grooming her daughter and was staring down at her, content. Then remembrance flashed across her eyes as she darted over to her other daughter. "Firekit!" She meowed quickly. "I have to groom your pelt."

The ginger kit felt awful and forgotten. "No need." She hissed bitterly. "I already cleaned my own pelt while you were fussing over Owlkit." And with that she slunk away from her mother, ears flattened against her head. It wasn't fair. Why did her mother favor Owlkit above her? When they were younger, the two sisters seemed to be equal, but ever since Firekit got in trouble her mother started to like Owlkit more and more. It just wasn't fair.

She felt Squirrelflight's stare scorch her pelt as she went, a mixture of frustration and sadness flooding from her mother. Luckily, Firekit didn't have time to feel guilty as her father continued the ceremony.

"Five kits have reached their sixth moon and it is time for them to be apprenticed." Bramblestar announced, and with a swift beckon of his tail he addressed Tigerkit.

Jealousy burned through her- how come the puny runt got to go first? He was weak and pathetic and he didn't deserve to go first. However, as she gazed at him, something inside her disagreed. He walked towards Bramblestar, head held high and chest puffed out. His posture was straight and firm. His dark tabby pelt gleamed under the sun, and his eyes were hardened with determination.

As the two dark tabby's stood next to each other, Firekit sucked in a quiet gasp. They were almost identical. Clearly, Bramblestar noticed, as his eyes flashed with surprise for a moment.

"Tigerkit. You have reached your sixth moon and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Tigerpaw. Your mentor will be Blossomfall. I hope Blossomfall will pass down all she knows to you." Bramblestar paused for a moment, his eyes seeking out the she-cat. Blossomfall quietly stepped forward. "Blossomfall, although at one point you had fallen under the trick of the Dark Forest, I think you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Hazeltail, and you have sharply toned skills that may prove to be useful from the Dark Forest." Murmurs rippled through the crowd, but they swiftly died down. "You have shown yourself to be courageous and have strength. You will be the mentor of Tigerpaw. I expect you to pass down all you know to Tigerpaw."

The tortoiseshell she-cat hesitantly padded forward and touched noses with the young tom. Tigerpaw's eyes didn't glow with excitement but they weren't dull with disappointment, he looked as if he was resigned as he withdrew to the side with her.

Firekit felt she was waiting forever. She sat there, slightly lonely. She wished her mother was beside her, but her mother wasn't. She watched as Hollykit stepped up, eyes gleaming, and became Hollypaw, apprenticed to Mousewhisker. Then Spottedkit became Spottedpaw, apprenticed to Icecloud. Then Owlkit stepped up, her pelt sleek and shining. Bramblestar's eyes glowed as he spoke her ceremony. Owlpaw's mentor was Brackenfur- a highly experienced tom who had trained multiple warriors.

To say Firekit was jealous would be an understatement. She was completely infuriated, but she grit her teeth and sat, alone, waiting out the ceremony.

"Firekit. You have reached your sixth moon and it is time for you to be apprenticed." _Finally. _Firekit thought angrily. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Firepaw. Your mentor will be Cherryfall. I hope Cherryfall will pass down all she knows to you."

Firekit's jaw dropped. She had gotten a new warrior as her mentor! A new warrior that didn't have any experience being a mentor, and hardly had any experience even being a warrior.

Her pelt burned with anger as she glared up at her father, trying not to let a snarl creep onto her face. He continued on, if he had sensed her anger he ignored it. "Cherryfall, although you are a very young warrior, I think you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Foxleap, and you have shown yourself to be swift and clever. You will be the mentor of Firepaw, and I expect you to pass down all you know to Firepaw." Bramblestar finished.

Cherryfall stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with excitement. The gleam died down as she saw just how furious her new apprentice looked. She looked, almost afraid as she leaned forward to touch her nose to Firepaw's. Tension crackled through them, and Firepaw dabbed her nose towards her mentors before jerking away as if she had been clawed.

"Tigerpaw! Hollypaw! Spottedpaw! Owlpaw! Firepaw! Tigerpaw! Hollypaw! Spottedpaw! Owlpaw! Firepaw!" The clan cheered their names, eyes glowing.

They padded away from the clearing, and Cherryfall looked awkward and nervous as she addressed her apprentice. "So, what do you want to do?" She asked.

"I thought you were the mentor." Firepaw spat at her. "You're supposed to decide."

"Um, okay… How about we explore the territory?" Cherryfall meowed hesitantly, looking uncertain.

"Whatever." Firepaw shouldered past her mentor and padded outside, anger surging through her.

She felt the scorching gazes off her mentor and parents lingering on her pelt as she padded to the corner of the clearing, but she didn't care. It was so unfair. Her sister had gotten such a good mentor. Even Tigerpaw's mentor had trained in the Dark Forest, which made her extra tough.

What had her mentor done?

Her mentor ran around and delivered messages during the Great Battle. How pathetic.

She felt a tail touch her flank and she whirled around, green eyes flashing and nostrils flaring. It was Cherryfall. She looked almost apologetic.

"Look…" She meowed quietly, embarrassment flushing through her. "I know you don't want me as your mentor. I know you wanted someone more experienced- but I promise I'll be a good mentor."

Firepaw was too angry to feel sympathetic. "The only way you'll be anything good is if you march in there and tell my father that he should switch my mentor!" She snapped.

Cherryfall's eyes widened and she took a step back from her apprentice. Then she forced herself to sound stern. "I know you don't want me to be your mentor, but I am. I will shape you into the best warrior you can be, if you will just work hard. If you don't work hard, I won't be happy, and neither will you."

Firepaw opened her jaws to protest, then closed them again.

"I am your mentor. If you don't work well with me, you'll never become a warrior." Cherryfall meowed.

The ginger she-cat's eyes widened as she glowered at her mentor. "I hate you!" She yelled. "I don't want to be your apprentice! I wish my mentor was somebody that is actually a good warrior!" Without waiting for a reaction, she spun around and dashed into the forest, running across the ground.

She didn't know why she was so upset about getting Cherryfall as her mentor.

It was just this spark inside of her. She didn't know what it was. It felt kind of like a memory, like that since she was named after Firestar, she would have to be the best. Her ambition was driving her forward. If Tigerpaw was going to learn Dark Forest moves, and Owlpaw was going to learn from one of the best warriors in the clan, where would that leave her? She would become a nothing. A random apprentice.

She grit her teeth, vowing that she would do anything, _anything_, to beat them and become the best.

...

_Anyway, in this chapter, Firekit may come off as a brat... but it's more than that really. Some part of her is still Firestar, and she doesn't realize it yet but she just feels the need to become the best- and she feels as if she can't, not with Cherryfall as her mentor, so she sort of exploded. (She kind of takes after her mother's fiery temper :P)_


	6. Five: Tiger

_Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! Anyway, here's the next chapter, set in Tigerpaw's point of view._

. . .

The forest was a frozen wonderland. The leafless trees were coated in a layer of snow, each leaf speckled with frost. Icicles hung from the branches and the leaves, gleaming as the light passed through them. The light was pale as it reflected upon the soft blanket of snow settling on the ground.

Fluffy snowflakes twirled and danced along with the soft, frosty breeze as they slowly floated down to the ground. A dark gray she-cat looked bemused at the snow, batting at it with both paws.

"Tigerpaw!" Hollypaw squealed, bounding towards him, almost knocking him off his paws. "It's snow! It's our first snow!" With that she bowled him over, so he tottered backwards and fell into the snow.

He let out a squeak of protest. "It's cold!" He whined, jumping back up and shaking the flecks of snow out of his dark pelt.

Her eyes gleamed with amusement. "Of course it is! It's snow!"

"What do you think we're going to do today? Yesterday was fun, wasn't it?" Tigerpaw asked her.

Yesterday was their first day of being an apprentice- Tigerpaw had gone out with his mentor and explored the whole territory. When he had come back, he felt as if his paws were dropping off, sore and aching with exhaustion. He immediately slept.

However tired he was- he didn't fail to notice how upset Firepaw looked as she seethed in the corner of the apprentice's den, giving him a dirty look as he glanced in surprise at her.

"Yesterday was fun." Hollypaw agreed, grinning. "I can't believe we're finally apprentices." She then blinked slowly, as if realizing something. "Where is Spottedpaw, anyway?" She frowned, swiveling her ears to pick up signs of her sister.

Tigerpaw shrugged. "I don't know."

Then he was shoved harshly forward, and he tripped over his own paws and fell face-first into the snow. He let out a groan of pain as the cold began biting icily at his nose and cheeks. He shivered and pulled out of the snow, fluffing out his pelt to thicken his coat.

He raised his head, but he didn't need to- he already knew who it was. A fiery ginger furred she-cat glared down at him, scowling fiercely.

"What did you do that for?" Tigerpaw asked crossly, shaking flecks of snow out of his pelt.

"Sorry." Firepaw meowed, her voice a sarcastic drawl. "I didn't see you there."

Luckily, Blossomfall saved him from having to go through another full-on argument with the feisty she-cat. "Tigerpaw, come on! We're going hunting with Spottedpaw and Icecloud!"

Tigerpaw waved a goodbye to his sister before bounding towards the tortoiseshell she-cat, his tail flicking in excitement.

"Finally." Blossomfall greeted him, rolling his eyes.

"What do you mean! You only just called me!" Tigerpaw complained.

She shook her head in exasperation. "I called you earlier, but you were too busy talking to your sister and playing in the snow to notice."

The dark tabby flushed in embarrassment, averting his gaze. "Oops. Sorry." He mumbled an apology. His mentor acknowledged his apology with a sharp nod.

"Let's go!" Icecloud called, her ears twitching. The she-cat looked excited to be a mentor as she gazed down at her apprentice with shining eyes- her brother had gotten an apprentice, but this was still her first one.

Tigerpaw let his mentor go forward as he fell back and walked next to his sister. She was sniffing daintily down at the ground, eyes gleaming.

"Hey." Tigerpaw greeted her.

"Hey." She responded.

Tigerpaw always felt as if he was closer to Hollypaw. Spottedpaw was often too distracted and she didn't always pay too much attention to him- but she was very nice. Their conversations were usually Tigerpaw asking questions, and Spottedpaw answering them.

"You excited to hunt?" Tigerpaw asked.

"Yeah." She responded.

"That's cool."

"I guess."

"Do you think you're going to catch anything?"

"I don't know."

"I bet I'll catch more prey than you!"

"Maybe."

Tigerpaw huffed in annoyance at his sister's answers- she looked as if she was completely uninterested in their conversation. Her eyes were wide as she looked around, completely alert.

"Why are you so alert all the time?" Tigerpaw demanded as they trotted through the forest. He swerved to the right to avoid a trunk before bounding back towards her.

Spottedpaw shrugged, her dark ears flicking. "I guess I just want to be the best apprentice ever, and then hopefully become the best warrior there is." She didn't sound too convincing.

"Seriously, why are you so lost in your thoughts all the time?" Tigerpaw frowned. "You used to be really fun!"

She blinked at him, then frowned for a moment. "I'm sorry." She apologized. "It's just- I feel as if you, Owlpaw and Hollypaw are close. And that Hollypaw is super close to Firepaw. I usually don't hang out with you guys as much."

Tigerpaw poked her playfully in the side. "Then be more social!" He grinned.

"Do you know how much you look like Bramblestar?" Spottedpaw meowed, changing the topic.

"Cats have told me that, yes." Tigerpaw nodded.

"Do you ever wonder why?" Spottedpaw blinked, tilting her head.

"Not really." Tigerpaw answered honestly. It was true- he never really did think much about it, but he did find it slightly odd that he looked so similar to the leader of ThunderClan. "Do you know why?"

The gray she-cat fell silent, then just padded forward to catch up with their mentors. Tigerpaw thought he heard her murmur under her breath; "I have a theory."

"Let's just hunt here." Icecloud decided, eyes shining with excitement as she beckoned her apprentice over.

Tigerpaw padded towards his mentor as well, but he was distracted by what his sister said. What could her theory possibly be? It was impossible that he was related to Bramblestar. He frowned for a moment. Was it possible that somehow he was? But how?

A harsh clout over the ear jerked him from his thoughts as he returned to reality. "Pay attention!" Blossomfall snapped at him, clearly irritated.

"Sorry." Tigerpaw muttered, sitting down and wrapping his tail over his paws.

He watched as his mentor and Icecloud demonstrated how to get into the crouch. He noticed how low they were to the ground, how they pressed themselves tightly together to be smaller. How their paws were light with each movement, how their crouch was perfectly balanced. Their tail was still, not rustling leaves.

"Listen!" Spottedpaw shoved him.

Tigerpaw blinked in surprise- realizing he was so busy looking and observing that he had forgotten to listen. He pricked his ears, listening to his mentor's explanation.

"Lastly, your tail has to be still because if it moves around too much and stirs up leaves, then that will cause too much noise and your prey will hear you." Icecloud finished.

Blossomfall narrowed her eyes at her apprentice. "Tigerpaw, what is the reason for our crouch to be perfectly balanced?" She meowed sharply, clearly frustrated.

"If our crouch is perfectly balanced, then it will be easier for us to even out our weight, so then our paws will be lighter and we won't tip over…" Tigerpaw responded, nervously.

Spottedpaw looked at him in surprise. Tigerpaw then blinked with shock. They both knew that he wasn't listening, and he hadn't heard her explanation. So how did he know that?

Blossomfall nodded. "That's pretty much correct." She meowed reluctantly.

Tigerpaw grinned- thoughts about how he knew it wiped out of his mind.

"Now you guys do your crouches." Icecloud ordered the apprentices.

Tigerpaw waited for a moment, looking over at his sister. She was pressed down low, but she was leaning towards the right, favoring her right side.

"Tigerpaw!" Blossomfall snapped. "For StarClan's sake, do you ever listen? Get into the crouch, now!" Cringing from the anger in her voice, the dark tabby dropped into a low crouch.

He remembered to press himself tight together, making his limbs as close as they could get. He then flattened himself down, so low that his belly was almost brushing the ground. He held his tail still, and tried to even out his weight so he was equally balanced.

It came so naturally to him, he would have thought he had learned it already.

Blossomfall's eyes were bright with surprise. "That's… a really good stance, Tigerpaw!" She meowed, ears twitching. She nudged him, but he stayed equally balanced.

Icecloud was still fussing over her apprentice, and Spottedpaw was shifting her weight around as she tried to get into the perfect hunting crouch. Spottedpaw's eyes narrowed as she looked over to her brother, but she looked down so quickly Tigerpaw almost thought he had imagined it.

"Let's see if you can catch something." Blossomfall meowed, almost jostling Tigerpaw off his paws as she nudged at him and shoved him forward. They walked away from Icecloud and Spottedpaw, to somewhere that had more brambles. "What can you smell?"

Tigerpaw opened his jaws, and immediately tastes flooded into his jaws. The sweet aroma of fresh prey, of a vole, flooded into his mouth and he licked his lips. "Vole." He reported, voice low.

"Where is it?" Blossomfall meowed, voice suddenly hushed.

Tigerpaw angled his ears towards the roots of a large tree.

"Get into the crouch." Blossomfall whispered.

Tigerpaw did as she said. He dropped into the crouch, and remembered to keep his tail still. He stepped forward quietly, making sure not to make too much noise.

"Pounce, now!" The tortoiseshell hissed to him in his ear.

The dark brown tabby did as instructed, bunching up his muscles and lunging forward in a powerful leap. He landed a bit further from the vole, which let out a squeak and dashed forward. Tigerpaw dashed in pursuit, and sprinted forward, before leaping onto it and pinning it.

He nipped it's spine and heard it's last squeak before he held it tightly in his jaws and padded smugly back to his mentor, grinning.

"I caught a vole!" He announced to her.

"Good." Was her response.

Then she was padding back towards the clearing where Spottedpaw was, and Tigerpaw bounded enthusiastically after her. Spottedpaw was in a good crouch, and Icecloud was nodding in approval when they came back.

"You caught a vole! Good job, Tigerpaw!" Icecloud meowed, smiling and nodding at the tom.

"Thanks." He meowed, blushing slightly from the attention.

Spottedpaw smiled up at him. "Good job." She meowed proudly.

"Thanks." Tigerpaw grinned.

Blossomfall nodded at him. "Go back to camp. You can rest for a while."

"I'm not tired." Tigerpaw objected, ears twitching.

"Well you ought to go rest for a while." Blossomfall meowed.

"Fine." Tigerpaw grumbled before padding after his mentor towards camp.

"You did well." Blossomfall meowed approvingly. "Your parents will be proud."

"Thanks." Tigerpaw dipped his head.

He actually didn't think of his parents- he wanted to go straight back to camp and show Hollypaw and Owlpaw. And perhaps show it to Firepaw, to prove that he was a good hunter, and would be a good warrior some day.


	7. Six: Fire

_Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! :) You guys are great!_

...

To say she was angry would be an understatement.

Firepaw was infuriated! Her retarded, useless mentor had taken her hunting- only, instead of catching something, her mentor had scared the prey off! Okay- maybe Firepaw had gotten bored and swished her tail, resulting in the obvious result of rustling leaves and causing the mouse to skitter off.

It wasn't her fault! Cherryfall had waited for moons. Firepaw felt as if she was about to die of old age, and her frustrating mentor still hadn't decided to go for the mouse. They were just crouching there- doing absolutely nothing.

The slender ginger she-cat was lying down in the clearing, a pigeon lying untouched before her. Her green eyes were narrowed into slits as she glared angrily at her mentor. The cold didn't seem to bother her, and neither did her grumbling stomach. All she could feel was the storm of anger raging inside of her as she tried not to shriek her frustrations to StarClan.

"Hey, Firepaw." A dark gray she-cat meowed, blinking slowly at her. She looked hesitant- and slightly nervous as she approached the feisty she-cat, amber eyes wide with a flicker of fear in them.

The ginger she-cat lowered her gaze, looking down at her paws. Ever since they had started their apprenticeship Firepaw had grown irritable. She would often snap at them, or rudely shove them away. One time- a play tussle had actually turned into a full fight. Afterwards, her friends had grown wary of her, and had gotten frustrated with her actions, so they simply stopped talking to her.

So instead, she spent every waking moment trying to train hard or learn by herself, because Cherryfall was a terrible mentor. She was utterly confused on how her father could not see what a bad mentor he had given her. Not only that, but Firepaw felt hurt that her father didn't realize how she was struggling, didn't offer to help her by giving her a new mentor. Actually, Firepaw had noticed bitterly, that it was quite clear Owlpaw was the favorite of the two littermates.

The ginger she-cat realized for a moment she had forgotten to reply to Hollypaw, so she lifted her head and tried to muster up the spirit for a smile. "Hey." She meowed, false cheerily. She didn't know why she was feeling so sad and lonely these days- it was as if she had fallen prey to the dangerous jaws of depression.

The gray she-cat's eyes glittered for surprise as Firepaw responded, and she looked nervous as she seemed to be racking her brain for something to say. "So, are you mooning over anyone?" Then the poor amber-eyed she-cat cringed, as if afraid Firepaw would tell her off.

The question startled Firepaw.

The green-eyed she-cat had honestly never thought about it. She mostly was concerned on learning hard and becoming the best apprentice she could be- the prospect of having kits and a mate didn't appeal to her in the least. However, if she had to choose, the two most handsome toms in ThunderClan would be Snowpaw, and as hard as it was for her to admit it- Tigerpaw.

An image immediately flashed in her mind of the dark tabby. His shoulders broad, muzzle raised in the air, amber eyes gleaming with defiance. His fur that bunched at his claws… his handsome, chiseled features. The muscle that even after so little training, he had already developed.

She gagged a little- realizing how ridiculous she was being. Tigerpaw was not handsome. Not anything good.

"Nope." She responded, shrugging her thoughts away.

Hollypaw looked hesitant.

Resisting a sigh, Firepaw looked up. "Want to share this pigeon?" She offered, nudging it towards her friend. "While you eat you can tell me who you like." She attempted to sound playfully- but it didn't work out too well. However, the dark furred she-cat looked so relieved that Firepaw was talking to her at all that she didn't seem to mind.

"Sure!" Hollypaw smiled, eyes glowing as she settled down beside her friend. She took a small bite of the pigeon, chewing slowly before swallowing it. She looked deep in thought. Firepaw decided not to bother her friend, so she just lay in silence. "I guess, the most handsome tom would probably be… Dewpaw. But am I mooning over him..? I don't think so." She looked uncertain.

"Cool." Firepaw meowed, not really caring. She wondered briefly what her mentor would be training her today- which lead her to another battle of anger and fear in her stomach. She wasn't scared of her mentor. No, not at all. What she was afraid of was failure. She was absolutely petrified of it.

The ginger she-cat tried so desperately to please her parents as a kit, and she despaired of ever getting their affection after she snuck out of camp. She always was the best, but now Tigerpaw was thriving, and Hollypaw and her sister and it seemed everyone aside from her have already mastered the hunting crouch and a few battle moves. She was afraid they would receive their warrior names, but she would still be an apprentice- gazing hopelessly after them.

"Firepaw?" A sharp nudge jerked her to attention, as Hollypaw blinked slowly at her. "You there?" Firepaw nodded. "Well, guess what- a while after the Dawn Patrol, Mousewhisker taught me how to catch a rabbit!" She angled her ears at the fresh-kill pile, looking proud. "I caught that rabbit right there! Mousewhisker didn't even help me at all!" The rabbit lay on top, its fur still fluffy, but it was coated in a layer of frost.

Firepaw felt sick to her stomach as she gazed at her friend, bile rising in her throat. Her friend was progressing so fast- and she still couldn't hunt a mouse carefully. She took a step back, resisting the urge to gag.

Hollypaw looked concerned. "Whats wrong? Aren't you hungry?" She nudged the pigeon towards her friend.

The ginger she-cat's stomach churned as she stared emptily at her friend. She shook her head mutely, ears flattened against her head. She withdrew from her friend without a single word of goodbye. It made her feel worse to see the light dying a bit in Hollypaw's eyes, as she just looked disappointed and slightly frustrated.

She stumbled towards the exit of the camp, wishing to go on a walk by herself to spend some time alone.

"Whats wrong?" Owlpaw asked, amber eyes round.

"Nothing!" Firepaw snapped at her sister, suddenly feeling furious. Her sister got everything she asked for, her sister was perfect! Misery washed over her as Squirrelflight didn't even ask about the matter, only looking downward and chewing her prey as she continued the conversation.

Mother and daughter hadn't made up after their fight at the apprentice's ceremony.

Swallowing the wail threatening to burst out of her throat, she dashed outside, her vision a blur. Trees, the ground, the sky… everything blurred into one big mess of color. She let out a soft, miserable whimper as she dashed into the forest, shaking her head wildly, and just lay down beside the lake. She felt the water lap softly at one side of her head, soaking her fur.

"It's just not fair." She whispered down at the lake. "It's just not fair."

Then she closed her eyes, and without even fully realizing it- she slipped into the land of dreams.

…

When she first awoke, Firepaw realized two things: one, that it was night-time, and second, the more important one, that there was a dark tabby standing above her. His round amber eyes were staring down at her- a glimmer of emotion in them.

"Tigerpaw?" She exclaimed, leaping to her paws. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and she rasped her tongue over her pelt to check for wounds or anything else. "What are you doing here?"

As he spoke, she couldn't help but admire how good he looked. His mouth, a soft dusky color opened and closed softly, his voice gentle but also almost afraid. "I saw you by the lake earlier. You looked upset." He meowed, his voice hushed. "I didn't know what was wrong. So I came to ask."

"But I've always been so mean to you." Firepaw frowned, confused. She had always bullied the tom. For some reason- right now, she didn't feel as if she had the energy to shout at him. She was just so lonely and upset and she didn't really want to yell at him. "How have you never said anything mean back?"

Tigerpaw blinked at her, and guilt flashed across his face. "I don't know." He whispered, ears flattened against his head. He looked so vulnerable and so young, Firepaw's heart twisted a bit in sympathy for him. "I just feel so guilty around you. As if I had done something horrid to you. But I don't know what or why."

"You tried to carry me back to camp even though you were exhausted and freezing." Firepaw meowed, her voice quiet, as she turned her face away.

"We argued." Tigerpaw replied quietly.

Then she realized a third thing- that she and Tigerpaw were whispering, and talking… almost as if they were friends.

"I…" Firepaw's voice cracked. "Did you just stay beside me the whole time when I was sleeping here?"

Tigerpaw looked down at his paws, flushing bright red. "I was worried a fox or something would come and hurt you…" Looking at the alarm in the ginger-furred she-cat's eyes, he quickly added "Don't worry- I didn't touch you. I stayed a safe distance." He glanced back into the forest. "I caught some prey."

Now Firepaw felt guiltier than ever. Not only had she been mean to someone who really wasn't that mean, she had also done nothing all day. "Did you go back to camp at all?" She wondered out loud.

"Yeah." Tigerpaw shuffled his paws, almost sounding apologetic. "I brought my prey back to camp and I fed the elders, but right afterwards I came back out."

"Were my parents looking for me" Firepaw's ears pricked and eyes were wide with curiosity. The thing she most wanted to know was- were her parents looking for her? Did they care? She glanced at the sky, and figured it was almost midnight- so her parents would hopefully be worried about her.

Guilt and alarm flashed across Tigerpaw's face, and he stumbled over his words. "Y-yeah." He stammered, but Firepaw could see right through his lie. "Your father was especially worried."

"Don't even try to lie." Firepaw meowed miserably, her ears flattening against her head. "They don't care about me. I'm a huge disappointment to them. Squirrelflight can't even look at me anymore, and I hardly talk to Bramblestar." She turned away from Tigerpaw, and squared her shoulders.

"Firepaw?" Tigerpaw meowed quietly. "Why are you talking to me?"

"I don't know." Firepaw muttered. "I'm at a new low." She offered him a half-smile, which he gladly returned. She noticed how he had a cute, almost impish smile and a funny twinkle in his eyes as he looked at her, one of his ears flopping into his face.

"If you really need help… with your, training," Tigerpaw coughed, as if he was afraid of the backlash his question would cause. "I can help you." His voice was so quiet it was almost inaudible, and Firepaw had to lean in to hear him speak.

The ginger she-cat felt touched, that he cared about her. She didn't know why- but something inside her suddenly decided as if Tigerpaw was okay after all. "When are we going to have time to train?" She meowed, her mouth pinched into a tight line.

"We can train at midnight. Nobody will be awake so they won't notice us sneaking out, and we can go back to sleep at predawn." Tigerpaw offered.

"Won't we be really sleepy the next day?" She blinked in surprise at him.

"I don't mind." Tigerpaw meowed, looking appalled that she had accepted his offer so fast.

"Okay." Firepaw nodded. He smiled at her. She returned it… almost.

Then the forlorn feeling came back, and the memory of an older Tigerpaw standing over her, eyes blazing with rage, claws at her neck, growling the name Fireheart as if it were a curse. She stumbles backwards, eyes wide.

"So… are you going back to camp?" He asked quietly.

Suddenly- at the idea of him mentoring her, so she would become better, energy flooded into her. She leapt to her paws and her eyes gleamed with the fresh excitement a new apprentice would have.

She hissed at him. "Of course I'm going back to camp!" She snapped at him, scowling. "Are you stupid?"

Tigerpaw blinked reproachfully, and took a step back. However, a smile still tugged at the edges of his lips. "I see somebody's feeling better." He meowed, looking up at her through his thick lashes.

She didn't return the smile. He would be her mentor- not her friend. Or at least that's what she repeatedly told herseslf. Tigerpaw wasn't a warrior- but he was better than nothing. He had a good mentor, and he was naturally strong. She was going to be strong and tough.

Firepaw wasn't sure if she really wanted to be friends with the dark tabby, still having that forlorn feeling, but she accepted him as a mentor. She was proud- but she was desperate, and she wasn't going to let her pride get in the way of her training.

The ginger she-cat shouldered past Tigerpaw, and he stumbled and almost fell over, letting out a squeak of protest. "Hey! Are we training tomorrow?" He shouted after her.

She tried to hide her grin of excitement as she turned around to face him. "Yes."

...

_Aww... That was cute- for a moment. If you read back, you'd notice that even though Tigerpaw did shout at her- he did help her out in the frost. He never did say anything mean to her- and still tried to please her, so this wasn't really out of the blue. :P I actually wanted to do this for a while and I'm so happy they finally took the next step. ^.^_


	8. Seven: Tiger

_Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! I can't believe we got to 50 reviews, 25 favs, and 34 follows already! :) Anyway, here's the next chapter. :D_

...

"Tigerpaw, wake up! Wake up!"

A soft paw was prodding a dark tabby tom's thick fur, and he mumbled something inaudible and just kept on snoring. Something prodded at him again, but this time it was at his ribs. He shot awake, eyes flying open.

"Hey!" He protested indignantly, still sleepy. Eyes still bleary, he struggled to make out who was standing above him. He noticed it as Owlpaw. The dark tabby she-cat was standing above him, amber eyes gleaming in the gloom. "Why are you waking me up so early?"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Blossomfall and Brackenfur are taking us out on a Dawn patrol! Didn't she tell you yesterday?"

Tigerpaw cringed. _Yeah, she did tell me. Oh, StarClan. Blossomfall's going to be so mad that I forgot! _Immediately awake and alert, he scurried out of the den, pushed past Owlpaw and burst into the clearing. Blossomfall was pacing around in the clearing, muttering something under her breath. When she noticed her apprentice, she shot him a glare.

"She's going to kill you." Owlpaw meowed, looking amused as she caught up with him. They padded over to the exit of the camp where Blossomfall was. Her sleek tortoiseshell fur was glowing almost silvery in the soft dawn light, whilst Brackenfur's glowed golden.

The dark tabby winced as his mentor nudged him harshly forward, imagining her yelling at him later on. Most cats would think Blossomfall to be a kind and patient mentor- but she wasn't. Tigerpaw had excelled at everything she had thrown at him. Every battle move he had perfected within a few tries of first seeing it- he had learned all the hunting crouches and ways of hunting- and he was great at devising strategy!

His only weak point was that he wasn't very good at sharing leadership with others, he liked to be the one in charge, and the other being his inability to memorize all of the points of the warrior code. Every time Blossomfall tested him, he would always forget one or two. That drove her insane.

Brackenfur nodded a friendly greeting to his apprentice and with a soft flick on Tigerpaw's ears, she bounded forward to catch up with him. He swallowed as he glanced warily at Blossomfall, almost edging away from her.

"Hey." He greeted her, ears flattened.

"Why were you so late in waking up?" She demanded immediately, ignoring his greeting. Her blue eyes blazed as she glared down at her apprentice with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry." He mumbled an apology evasively, not telling her the truth. "I'll wake up earlier next time."

"Good- because I'm taking you on the dawn patrol tomorrow as well." She replied.

His mouth stretched in a noisy yawn. "Do we have to do dawn patrols everyday?" He questioned, blinking sleepily, some of his alarm fading as he trudged through the silent forest.

She growled at him. "Not everyday. Just until you can finally wake up on time."

Tigerpaw inwardly winced. He had been late every night practicing with Firepaw- teaching her moves, her how to hunt. He had been so caught up with mentoring that he hadn't realized how exhausted it has made him, especially with a mentor like Blossomfall. However, since the she-cat wasn't badgering him anymore, he decided to just look around the forest and relax until they reach the WindClan border.

Even though his paws felt like stones, he forced himself to trudge on.

To pass the time, he looked around. They were near the Sky Oak now, and although he couldn't see the humongous tree's trunk if he looked up he could see the high branches jutting out above the rest. Looking past that, he noted how beautiful the sky was. It was a soft, sleepy blue with a few fluffy clouds floating softly through the sky. The sun was slowly rising from behind the mountain, and although it wasn't completely out, it still illuminated the world around it, turning it to a brilliant mix of reds, oranges, and blues.

A glistening coat of frost caught his attention. He burst through a clump of frosty ferns, purring with amusement as they completely showered him in one too. He leapt forward and tackled Owlpaw, all exhaustion forgotten. She let out a yelp of surprise as she fell backwards and immediately was swiftly pinned by him.

"Oh, yeah?" Owlpaw taunted him as she wiggled out of his grasp. "Try and catch me now!" She leapt away from him and dashed into the forest, ignoring her mentor's cry for them to stop. Tigerpaw put on a burst of speed and charged after her, slamming into her and tackling her to the ground. She let out a purr of amusement. "You got me." She admitted defeat.

Tigerpaw couldn't help notice how different she looked from her sister. "Yeah." He replied, stepping off of her. "I did." Then he raced back towards the patrol, swerving to avoid trees and jumping over stones to get back to Blossomfall. He skidded to a stop before her, almost crashing into her. She sidestepped, eyes gleaming- clearly unamused.

"Stop playing around." She scolded him, eyes darkening. "We're at the border now." She sniffed around, looking suspicious, before padding to Brackenfur and muttering something to him. He frowned as well.

The dark tabby tom had hardly realized. He had been to the border so many times it felt so natural he didn't even realize that it was actually the border. He sighed, standing there, lost in thought as he waited for his mentor to mark it or tell him to mark it.

"Hey! What are you doing!" A loud meow from Brackenfur jolted him from his thoughts and the golden tom streaked forward towards the border.

A creamy brown she-cat was running towards the border, chasing her prey, clearly oblivious of the border. However, Brackenfur's yowl jerked her to reality and her eyes widened as she realized she almost crossed the border.

Tigerpaw looked at her mentor's worried face, and decided to taste the air. It smelled strongly of WindClan- like, reeked of WindClan. He made a face, gagging. Not much longer after that, a pale brown tom dashed across the border- his pelt a blur, and Tigerpaw let out a yowl of surprise as he realized he was carrying prey. ThunderClan prey.

"Prey-thieves!" Blossomfall yowled, eyes wide.

Tigerpaw unsheathed his claws.

Owlpaw looked panicked.

The leader of the patrol, Brackenfur, stepped forward- eyes like chips of ice. "Why were you on our territory?" He meowed coldly to the tom.

The tom looked afraid and stepped closer to the she-cat, his eyes flattened against his head. "I… I didn't m-mean to c-c-cross." He stuttered, stumbling over his own words. "I-it was W-WindClan prey, it just c-crossed over the b-b-border."

Tigerpaw scoffed at him. "Yeah?" He snapped scornfully. "Do you not know what your clan hunts? Your clan hunts rabbits. You're holding a _squirrel_." The dark tabby tom squared his shoulders, stepping dangerously close to the borderline. He felt Brackenfur's warning touch on his flank, and a slight tug on his tail from Blossomfall. Her eyes flashed as she looked at him, and he snapped his jaws shut.

"Hey, leave my brother alone!" The cream-furred she-cat growled at them, eyes wide. "You guys scared off my prey, so it's fair that he gets that one."

"What do you mean we scared off your prey?" Blossomfall meowed aggressively to the younger she-cat, fur fluffed up and eyes narrowed. "That was a squirrel you were hunting- not very well, if I might add. If we hadn't stopped you, you wouldn't crossed the border and stolen ThunderClan prey!"

"Hey!" A loud yowl came from behind the two cats, and two toms- one ginger, one gray, charged after what obviously was their apprentices. "Why are you shouting at our apprentices?"

"They stole ThunderClan prey!" Tigerpaw swiftly accused, then slapped his tail over his jaws.

Blossomfall jerked him backwards by the tail, shooting him a glare.

"Emberfoot. Crouchfoot. I thought you guys didn't need to use the woodland in WindClan anymore." Brackenfur meowed calmly. "I thought that was many, many moons ago when you were afraid of RiverClan invading."

Tigerpaw's eyes flashed in surprise. They had used the woodlands before? That was odd.

Emberfoot seemed to seethe, his eyes flashing and gray pelt bristling. "Just because RiverClan isn't a threat anymore, doesn't mean we should stop using a part of our territory."

"Yeah!" The small cream-furred she-cat piped up, eyes gleaming. She was obviously the more annoying of the two littermates.

"You should teach your apprentices not to cross into other clan's territories and steal prey!" Tigerpaw snapped at the dark gray tom, forgetting for a moment that he was an apprentice himself.

The tom didn't look fazed, only replied to Brackenfur. "You should teach your apprentices to groom." He meowed coldly, eyes raking over Tigerpaw's snow and dirt covered pelt with disgust.

The dark tabby flushed red with embarrassment and took a step backwards, where Blossomfall narrowed her eyes. "Your apprentices did cross into our territory, however." She meowed icily, drawing her eyes over the patrol and sizing them up.

Tigerpaw realized the WindClan cats were so scrawny. Their rib-cages jutted out of their pelts- more so than ThunderClan. Of course ThunderClan was struggling, and you could probably see a visible outline of their ribs and bones, but with WindClan… he blinked in shock. You could count every rib, and their pelts were hanging off their bodies.

"Fawnpaw would have caught what she needed if you hadn't stopped her." Crouchfoot protested, defending his apprentice. His eyes were narrowed as he stared at the other apprentice, obviously uncertain.

"So you saw them, then?" Brackenfur interrupted, his voice dry. "You saw your apprentice cross into our territory and take a piece of prey, and you didn't stop them." The fur along his spine rose at he bared his teeth at them. "Prey-stealers!" He accused again.

"It ran over to ThunderClan's side! That makes it WindClan prey!" Emberfoot hissed back, eyes glittering.

"It was a squirrel! That means it originally came from ThunderClan territory, making it our prey!" Blossomfall drew herself up, eyes cold as she faced the patrol.

"Yeah." Tigerpaw sniffed indignantly. "That's our prey!"

Ignoring his mentor's call for him to stop, he cockily strode across the border and snatched up the wiry tom's squirrel, and brought it back to his side. "Thanks for hunting for us." He smiled, showing all his teeth.

"Tigerpaw!" Owlpaw hissed, eyes narrowed. "That's not a good idea! Now they'll be mad."

"So?" Tigerpaw puffed out his chest. "Let them be mad. I can fight." He unsheathed his claws.

"Give me my squirrel back!" The wiry apprentice yowled at him, eyes narrowed. His tail was bushed out and claws were out- the two patrols were extremely close to a fight. With a few mousetails Tigerpaw would pounce on the tom.

"Stagpaw…" Emberfoot warned his apprentice, but Crouchfoot's eyes were glittering as he dropped into a crouch.

"If you want a fight, you can have one!" Crouchfoot yowled.

"We're not looking for a fight." Brackenfur meowed, but his teeth were gritted and he was obviously making an effort to stay calm. "We just want our prey back."

Then the ginger tom leapt onto Brackenfur, and cats immediately became a tangled ball of screeching fur. Tigerpaw wasted no time and immediately leapt towards Stagpaw, knocking him off his paws. He aimed a blow, but Stagpaw dodged and swiped at Tigerpaw's paws, almost tripping the larger apprentice. Tigerpaw tried to aim a blow again, but Stagpaw just nimbly dodged it again.

"Too slow!" Stagpaw sneered at him.

Hot rage flooded into Tigerpaw and he leapt into the air, twisting and landing perfectly and evenly on Stagpaw's shoulders. The tom crumpled beneath him and Tigerpaw pummeled his belly with his paws, before raking a claw down his opponent's side. Stagpaw let out a squeak of pain before wriggling free from Tigerpaw's grasp and getting back onto his paws, panting with effort.

The tom ducked down and raked his claws across Tigerpaw's muzzle before ducking down again before the strong tom could aim another blow. Instead of aiming for his side, Tigerpaw bit down hard on his opponent's tail, jerking it sideways and him off balanced. The tom let out a squeak of surprise as he was jerked off balance, and Tigerpaw slashed his claws across Stagpaw's muzzle.

"Get away from ThunderClan territory, and stop stealing our prey!" He spat in his face.

"Tigerpaw, help!" Owlpaw was struggling beneath Fawnpaw, eyes wide with panic as the she-cat repeatedly swiped at Owlpaw's ears.

Tigerpaw charged at the WindClan apprentice, knocking her off her paws. She let out a squeak of surprise, and then Owlpaw was up and on her paws again, dashing towards the apprentice. Tigerpaw dashed to her back and raked his claws down her spine, letting her let out a screech of pain and rear upwards.

"Get her stomach!" Tigerpaw yowled.

Owlpaw was just about to, but she was knocked over by Stagpaw- a tom who recovered surprisingly fast for someone who was stuttering with fear a while ago.

Tigerpaw dashed towards Stagpaw, who made a face at him.

"Protecting your little mate?" He jeered, and Tigerpaw swiped at Stagpaw's face with unsheathed claws.

"What, you jealous?" He taunted, even though him and Owlpaw were nothing more than just friends. The brown tom fumed and this time he was the one who lunged, and Tigerpaw reared upwards and slammed him down to the ground, and Owlpaw raked her claws down his flank.

"Stop!" The loud yowl broke the two patrols apart.

A gray-furred she-cat and golden tabby tom padded forward, eyes round. "What is going on here?" Lionblaze demanded.

Then Cinderheart noticed her son and gasped and dashed towards him, immediately beginning to fuss.

The other patrol looked at each other, realizing they were outnumbered, and streaked back up the slope towards WindClan.

"Yeah!" Tigerpaw yowled in triumph before picking up the other squirrel they left behind, and dropping the two squirrels at his paws.

Brackenfur was gazing at Owlpaw with worry in his eyes. "Oh StarClan!" He meowed, eyes wide. "What am I going to tell Bramblestar? Sorry, Bramblestar, but we accidentally let a WindClan patrol get your daughter?"

Tigerpaw had been so pleased about winning the fight he hadn't had a chance to see his clanmates. Brackenfur had a few scratches along his flank, but nothing otherwise. Blossomfall had a deep scratch along her muzzle and a scratched tail- but Owlpaw was the worst out of them all. She was completely covered in scratches, with an especially nasty one digging down her side.

Cinderheart was still fussing over her son, rasping her tongue over his ear. "Oh, no, Tigerpaw!" She exclaimed, looking upset. "Your ear is torn." She looked upset.

"What?" Tigerpaw blinked in astonishment- he hadn't even felt anything. "Really?" He began to bounce up and down in excitement, eyes glowing. "My first battle scar! What shape is it torn in?"

Blossomfall looked uneasily at him, her eyes uncertain. "It's… split in a deep 'V' shape at the top…" She trailed off, her voice dying in her throat. Lionblaze was looking uneasily at his son as well, but Tigerpaw just blinked in astonishment.

"What?" He meowed, shocked. "I'm not going to die of a torn ear, am I?"

"No, no." Cinderheart meowed quickly, glaring at her mate.

Lionblaze quickly recovered, and coughed nervously. "Yes, Tigerpaw. You fought exceptionally well. Good job." He nodded proudly at his son. "You too, Owlpaw. Me and Cinderheart have to pick up our prey- can you guys get the apprentices back to camp?"

"Yeah." Blossomfall nodded.

Lionblaze padded towards Blossomfall, and their eyes met for a moment. "Can you make sure my son goes to see Jayfeather? I want to get his ear checked out." Blossomfall looked unusually solemn as she dipped her head.

The warriors picked up the squirrels and they padded quietly back to camp, their ears flattened. Even Blossomfall looked unusually subdued as she kept casting wary glances at her apprentice- leaving quite a big gap between them.

Tigerpaw blinked, hurt. What had he done wrong? He had fought well! Why were they acting so shocked over the scar he had gotten? It was his first battle scar, and they should be proud of him.

"You did well." Owlpaw offered him a half-hearted smile.

"Thanks." Tigerpaw grunted, but he didn't want to talk to her. He padded quietly through the forest, keeping his head low. As soon as they stepped into camp, a few gasps arose at the condition they were in. Brackenfur told the two of them to go to the medicine cat's den, and he and Blossomfall went to report to Bramblestar.

Leafpool stepped out, looking surprised. "I thought I smelled blood. What happened?" She inquired, looking at the two.

"Border skirmish." Owlpaw muttered.

"Jayfeather?" Tigerpaw called quietly. "Can I talk to you? Lionblaze… Lionblaze said I should go find you."

"Come in, Tigerpaw." Jayfeather replied from inside the den, sitting down and wrapping his tail around his paws. "What do you need?" He asked bluntly.

Tigerpaw looked uncertain. "My ear… It's, it's scratched. And… I don't know why but my father and Blossomfall look confused and scared by it."

Jayfeather twitched his ears. "Is Ivypool in the clearing? Call her in here."

"Why?" Tigerpaw frowned. Why was his ear thing such a big deal? But he did call her, and she blinked in astonishment before withdrawing from Dovewing and padding towards the medicine cat's den. She poked her head in, and greeted them.

"Hey. What do you need?" She asked curiously.

"Can you take a look at Tigerpaw's ear for me?" Jayfeather muttered. "Lionblaze and Blossomfall were spooked by it."

Tigerpaw felt his stomach churn as he sat down and let Ivypool inspect his ear. He heard a quiet gasp before she took a step back and she drew her gaze over him.

"Its… Its…" She stammered, looking as if she had seen a ghost. "Its in a V shape. It's deep. In one of his ears." She bent down and whispered something in Jayfeather's ears, and his eyes widened in alarm.

Tigerpaw suddenly felt as if Jayfeather could see right into him, his blind jay-blue eyes boring into his pelt. The next word he said was so quiet that Tigerpaw could hardly hear it. But he did hear it.

"Tigerstar…"

"What?" Tigerpaw demanded, eyes stretching wide.

Jayfeather exchanged a glance with Ivypool, but then his gaze was focused lightly on Tigerpaw. Ivypool offered him a half-smile, but she didn't look too enthusiastic.

The gray tabby tom smiled blandly at him.

"Nothing."


	9. Eight: Fire

_Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! :) Here is the next chapter~ Theres a bit of fluff in this one. :p_

...

Firepaw lunged at her opponent, slender ginger fur glowing softly. He reared upwards to slam her down to the ground, and she gasped as the breath was driven out of her. She grit her teeth and recovered fast, on her paws in a heartbeat. The dark tabby swiped a clumsy blow at her head, which she easily evaded. She nipped lightly at his hind-paws, and he kicked out at her, but his kick was so soft it hardly did anything.

The green-eyed she-cat leapt away from her opponent, tilting her head. "Why are you so distracted today?" She frowned, nudging him.

Her opponent- a dark tabby tom whom she knew fairly well, lifted his head, amber eyes deeply troubled. He sat down and wrapped his tail around his paws, and squared his shoulders. "Does my new scar look funny to you?" He asked hesitantly, almost looking afraid.

She frowned, narrowing her eyes. She glanced at his scar- and felt a pang of familiarity, which she swiftly pushed away. That was ridiculous- she had never seen a scar like that before. "No." She shrugged. "It doesn't look weird. You're lucky- I would die for a cool battle scar."

That seemed to reassure the tom, and a little spark of energy returned to his eyes as he sighed in relief. "That's a relief." He nodded at her then, and padded towards her. "Now lets work on battle strategy. You seem to be pretty good at fighting- but what about strategy. Weaknesses of the cats." Firepaw shrugged at him, ears twitching. He sat down ahead of her and swiftly began to assess her. "WindClan."

"They are very fast but small. They're not very strong, so you just have to hit hard- however they are very good at slipping out of your grasp or dodging quickly. Also, they smell sort of rabbity, so that will give them away." Firepaw grinned cockily as Tigerpaw nodded in approval.

"Good." He meowed, grinning.

"You're actually a really good mentor." Firepaw admitted reluctantly. _I'd never tell him this- but if not for him, I don't think I would have passed my first assignment. _"Thanks a lot, Tigerpaw."

Tigerpaw grinned happily at her. "Is it hard being the leader's daughter? Do your parents expect a lot from you?"

Firepaw gnawed on her lip, averting her gaze, ears flattened against her head. "I'm not really talking to them much…" She meowed quietly, her voice trailing off. "Ever since we snuck out of camp, they seemed kind of disappointed. So naturally, they busied themselves in looking after Owlpaw and they kind of… left me alone."

The dark brown tabby blinked sympathetically at her. "That sucks." He admitted, eyes round. "My parents are the best. They never stopped loving me- and never will. I guess they're still so surprised that I've grown to be such a… sturdy tom." He shrugged. "I don't think they expected much from me."

"They were wrong." Firepaw laughed quietly, almost bitterly. "I was wrong too." She shook her head, frustrated. "I always thought I would be the best warrior. I can't believe how arrogant of a kit I was- you were so quiet and shy, and now look at you. You're twice the apprentice I am."

Tigerpaw's eyes glowed at the praise. "Really?" He smiled happily. "Blossomfall hardly praises me- and when she does, she just doesn't sound happy." His ears drooped again and the light faded from his eyes as his shoulders sagged. "Sometimes I despair of ever pleasing my mentor. She's so tough- and she has such high expectations for me. Especially since that border skirmish two sunrises ago."

_I wish my mentor had high expectations for me. _Firepaw thought miserably, picturing her mentor's face. Now Cherryfall hardly even tried, and began getting closer and closer with Toadstep. Firepaw knew her mentor still resented her- and was probably waiting for an apology, something that Firepaw's pride was definitely not going to let her give.

"I used to think being an apprentice would be so easy." Firepaw sighed, lying down on her back. "Now look at me. I'm so bad at it- I need extra mentoring than everyone else."

Tigerpaw let out a huff of annoyance as he flopped onto his back. "I agree. Blossomfall is working me so hard, my muscles are literally screaming with exhaustion." His eyes twinkled playfully as he twitched his paw. "Can you hear the screams of agony?"

"Of course." Firepaw replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes a bit.

She had never thought this would happen- but her and Tigerpaw were getting slightly close. They still didn't talk in camp, or much to each other, and often sniped at each other- but when it was midnight… they seemed to get along alright. Maybe it was because when the sky turned dark, she felt an awful feeling in her chest- loneliness. She wished for her parents for a moment, and her sister.

Firepaw knew it was probably half her fault that they had grown so far apart, because of her cocky attitude and rudeness to everyone- but she wanted to make it okay. Sometimes she looked at Squirrelflight and Leafpool, and felt awfully miserable at how close they were. Squirrelflight was the deputy, and Leafpool was the medicine cat. They had completely separate lives- and still were closer than Owlpaw and Firepaw would ever be.

"Do you think Firestar and them are watching over us right now?" Tigerpaw whispered beside her, his voice hushed as he waved his paw up at the sky.

The sky was a beautiful dark blue color, splashed with darker grays and blacks. There were no clouds in the sky- it was absolutely clear. The moon, pale white color, hung amongst a series of beautiful twinkling stars. The night was alive as it danced with celestial sheen.

Firepaw sucked in an awed gasp.

"Maybe." She replied to him. As she turned her neck to look at him, she realized how close they were. They were only a mouse-length apart. She could almost feel the warmth radiating from his pelt- and yet, oddly enough, felt no desire to shift or scoot away from him. "I wonder if they're watching us. All the time." She moved her gaze back up at the sky.

The dark brown tabby tom let out a soft chuckle beside her, and she could just picture the playful gleam in his eyes. "If they did, that would be slightly creepy. Plus, they'd know all the trouble we got into."

"Oh yeah?" Firepaw challenged him, eyes glowing. "Like what?"

The dark tabby was laughing now, before even telling his story. "One time I told Hollypaw if she didn't run up to Snowpaw and tell him she thought he was handsome, I would put fire ants in her nest. She didn't of course, and I put them in. She woke up with like, five thousand bites."

Firepaw giggled as well- that was pretty silly. She could just imagine how angry Hollypaw would be, as she stood up and shrieked with disgust, pawing the ants off her pelt. "One time, when she wasn't looking, I stuffed rabbit droppings inside of the vole that Owlpaw was eating." The ginger she-cat was giggling crazily now, eyes glittering with amusement. "You should've seen her face. She spit it out and began to paw at her tongue as if it were on fire."

"Yeah." Tigerpaw purred softly, glancing up at the sky. "I wonder if they saw all that." Firepaw turned her head to face him, and to her surprise he was looking at her already. "It would be pretty weird."

Then the dark brown tabby tom's jaws stretched in a noisy yawn. At the sound- Firepaw realized how exhausted she was. Her paws felt like stones and her eyelids were heavy, so she closed them.

"Tigerpaw?" She mumbled blearily. "Are you awake?"

Silence.

"Yeah." He whispered.

"Are you cold?" She questioned. It was leaf-bare, and she hadn't realized how cold she was until she had lay down. She began to tremble with the cold and curled up tighter in an effort to warm up.

More hesitation. "Kinda." He answered.

Without even opening her eyes, Firepaw scooted a bit closer to the tom- so their fur was almost touching. Something about their conversation had warmed her heart, and the forlorn feeling was completely off her mind. At least, for a while. She felt so miserable and lonely, but right now she didn't. Their fur touching, heat flooding through them- she felt less lonely than she had in a long time.

They lay there for a long while, their chests rising and falling. Firepaw felt as if she couldn't sleep without asking one more question. "Are you still cold?" She murmured exhaustedly.

There was no reply this time.

Firepaw smiled softly to herself and pressed a bit closer to him before squeezing her eyes shut, her body slipping into a peaceful, dreamless sleep. She didn't have nightmares- and she didn't feel forlorn. She felt perfectly normal.

…

Firepaw was awoken by harsh light stinging at her eyelids. She mumbled something inaudible, pawing at her face. Why was it so bright? Wasn't she in the apprentice's den… _Oh, StarClan! _The ginger she-cat shot to her paws, eyes alight with panic.

"Tigerpaw! Tigerpaw, wake up!" She meowed desperately, nudging the dark brown tabby tom. He let out something that sounded like a mix between a mumble and a moan, before curling up tighter again. "Tigerpaw, it's sun-high! We've been here all night and morning! Get up, now!" Her voice was almost a shriek.

He was up and on his paws in an instance, eyes wild. "What?" He stammered, shaking his pelt out. His fur was tousled and tangled, and he looked completely bewildered. Then remembrance flooded into his eyes and he stared at Firepaw in a panic.

"We have to get back to camp!" She squeaked with horror- just imagining the trouble she would get into. "Wait! We can't go to camp at the same time… they'll get suspicious!"

"What do you mean!" Tigerpaw snapped, eyes narrowed.

What she didn't want to admit was that she was spending time with the dark brown tabby tom. She valued their… their, whatever kind of relationship they had, but she didn't want other cats to know about it. "I mean like…" She meowed slowly, trying to think of something on the spot. "if we go together, they'll think we went hunting together and rumors will fly all over the camp! They'll think we're going to be mates- which is weird, because we're related!"

The dark brown tabby tom coughed awkwardly. "Yeah, definitely weird." Then he gave her a firm nod. "Okay- you go back to camp first, I'll go catch like, a bird or something."

"Then they're going to think I'm stupid and I can't hunt!" Firepaw protested, arguing with him.

"No they wont!" Tigerpaw protested.

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

That went on for a while. Firepaw finally heaved a sigh of exasperation and shouldered the dark brown tabby out of the way before dashing back to camp as fast as her legs could carry her. She panted with exhaustion but she tumbled into the camp, almost tripping over her own paws. To her great dismay- the whole clan had realized they were missing.

"Oh, Firepaw, thank StarClan!" Someone gasped as they saw her- Firepaw recognizing it as Bramblestar. The dark brown tabby tom's amber eyes were glittering with worry as he gazed at his daughter, and he wrapped his thick tail around her. She blinked in bewilderment, but she didn't stop him- even smiling a little bit. "Where did you go? Why did you run off?"

"I didn't run off!" Firepaw protested, trying to explain.

Then Tigerpaw burst into camp, a vole dangling from his jaws. He shot Firepaw a little smirk as he padded forward and dropped it onto the fresh-kill pile. Immediately, _both _of his parents darted forward to meet him. Cinderheart looked extremely worried while Lionblaze simply looked slightly curious and almost amused.

Bramblestar pulled away from her and yowled a greeting to the clan. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highledge!" He waited for a moment, then his shoulders seemed to sag with relief. "I'm pleased to inform you that Firepaw and Tigerpaw are safe- and indeed just go off for a little bit by themselves."

Firepaw shot her father a glare- but she wasn't really mad. Him coming to greet her and act as if she were his daughter? How could she be mad after that. She was elated and desperately relieved!

He looked slightly amused. "Separately. They went separately." He swiftly added, but he didn't look as if he believed it. Before bounding down, Bramblestar opened his jaws to speak again. "Now, since we are still gathered, there is something I must do. Two cats have successfully passed their warrior's ceremony and are ready to become warriors. Seedpaw, Lilypaw, step forward."

Brackenfur's eyes glowed with pride as he looked at his daughters, but there was sadness in them too. The two daughters dashed forward, paws skimming across the ground.

"Poppyfrost, has Lilypaw trained hard and do you think she's ready to become a warrior?" Bramblestar inquired.

The tortoiseshell she-cat's eyes glowed as she stared down at her apprentice. "Lilypaw will be a fine warrior." Poppyfrost meowed affectionately.

"Bumblestripe, do you believe Seedpaw has trained hard and do you think she's ready to become a warrior?" Bramblestar asked.

"I do. She'll be a warrior that ThunderClan will be proud to have." Bumblestripe meowed as he gazed kindly down at his apprentice, his stripes rippling as he turned to face his apprentice.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentice. They have trained hard in the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you a warrior in their turns." He meowed, eyes gleaming. "Lilypaw, Seedpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Without any hesitation, Seedpaw boldly meowed, "I do."

"I do." Lilypaw's eyes glowed with excitement as she replied.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Seedpaw, from this moment you will be known as Seedpelt. StarClan honors your kindness and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Bramblestar announced, resting his muzzle on the newly named Seedpelt's head. She stretched upwards and rasped her tongue over his shoulder before withdrawing to the side of the clearing.

Then was Lilypaw. Her eyes were glowing with excitement as she stepped forward. "Lilypaw, from this moment you will be known as Lilyheart. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." The dark brown tabby rested his muzzle on her head, and she licked his shoulder as well. The two sisters drew to the side of the clearing, and ThunderClan erupted in cheers.

"Lilyheart! Seedpelt! Lilyheart! Seedpelt!" They called. Brackenfur was the loudest. Firepaw joined in, chanting softly but loud enough for other cats to hear her.

After the ceremony, Bramblestar bounded downwards and towards his daughter. "Are you okay, Firepaw?" He asked, swiftly checking wounds. She nodded mutely. Anxiety crackled between them as Firepaw turned to look for Squirrelflight, but the she-cat was talking happily with Owlpaw.

Firepaw's ears flattened against her head in defeat, her shoulders sagging as she slumped to the ground. She didn't want to ask her father, but she had to know. "Why is mother acting as if I'm invisible?" She mumbled, bewildered.

"She doesn't think your invisible!" Bramblestar protested, pressing against his daughter.

"Why did you treat me as if I were invisible?" Firepaw shot back at him, eyes narrowed. "Until I go and vanish- I'm invisible. Do you guys even care about me? Why is it always only Owlpaw."

Bramblestar sighed softly. "Oh, Firepaw." He meowed, reaching out his muzzle to touch her shoulder.

Firepaw moved away from his touch. "I need an answer, Bramblestar." She meowed tightly. "This is unfair to me, and I don't want to deal with this anymore. All I want are loving parents that will be proud of me- is that too much to ask?"

The dark brown tabby looked as if each word stung him sharper than a thorn, and his eyes glowed with actual pride and affection for Firepaw. "I've always been proud of you, Firepaw." He admitted. "When you opened your eyes- you were the first kit to do so. Such a beautiful green, exactly your mother's shade. Just a few sunrises ago, when you caught those two voles, that was a lot of prey for leaf-bare. Also, Cherryfall told me that recently you beat Spottedpaw in a mock-fight, and that your battle moves were coming along well. I was so proud." He shook his head, as if reliving the memories as he spoke.

"I'm sorry that I never told you how I felt. I was always wary of approaching you- you seemed to be so angry at us, both of us, all the time. I didn't want to destroy our relationship, so I stayed away." Bramblestar bowed his head. "I realize now that I'm wrong."

"Then why don't you ever tell me how you feel?" Firepaw hissed at him. "All this time I thought you guys hated me or something, but you said you were proud- do you know what its like to grow up without parents?"

Bramblestar settled down beside Firepaw, wrapping his tail around his paws. "I grew up without my father." He meowed softly. "You know who he was?" The ginger she-cat rolled her eyes. _Probably some random cat. _"Tigerstar." As soon as the name left his mouth, Firepaw sucked in a startled gasp. "My sister left to ShadowClan. My mother supported me- but I had to fight for my loyalty. It wasn't easy- my being a spitting image of the dark tom."

"You look exactly like Tigerpaw." Firepaw blurted, green eyes embarrassed.

The dark brown tabby tom smiled faintly, but his eyes were filled with bemusement. "Yeah, I realized." He held out a paw and glanced at his thick coat, and shrugged. "I don't know how that happened, but I guess it did." He shrugged. "Anyway, it was hard for me to grow up, but my mother supported me through it. Even if your mother doesn't support you right now, I will. Squirrelflight will come around sooner or later."

"But I want Squirrelflight's support right now." Firepaw meowed sadly, looking down at the ground. "Ever since I snuck out, she's been different. She's always all over Owlpaw, especially when I'm around."

Bramblestar scooted a little closer to Firepaw, wrapping his tail lightly around her. "She does love you, you know that right?" The ginger she-cat gave a mere shrug, looking helplessly up at her father. "Squirrelflight loves you so much. She is just dealing with some things right now."

"What things?" Firepaw mumbled, eyes round.

Bramblestar's bit his lip and he pulled away from his daughter. "It was nice talking to you, Firepaw. Remember- we do love you." The dark brown tabby rasped his tongue over Firepaw's ear, and then he padded away.

She looked around for her mentor, but Cherryfall didn't seem to be in the clearing. Firepaw heaved a sigh, feeling more lonely than ever.

"Hey." A certain dark brown tabby tom padded up to her, amber eyes dark as he watched Bramblestar leave.

Firepaw blinked reproachfully at him. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Your mentor isn't taking you out training, is she?" Tigerpaw guessed, ears twitching. "Blossomfall is calling me for the noon patrol- why don't you come with us?"

The ginger she-cat picked herself up, eyes narrowed. She gave him a firm nod however, and shouldered past him. But she could feel his quiver of excitement from behind her as she touched him- and she couldn't deny that she was pleased to be going out on patrol as well. Firepaw ran towards Blossomfall, Lionblaze and Birchfall. They greeted the two apprentices as if it were nothing strange about Firepaw coming along, and padded out of camp. Firepaw smiled at Tigerpaw- just a bit.


	10. Nine: Tiger

_Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! Anyway, this chapter is sort of short- it's more like a filler chapter. Next chapter will be more interesting, being of the gathering and such. :) Well, here it is._

...

"Go away, Spottedpaw." Tigerpaw moaned, flopping onto his stomach and pressing his face into his nest of bracken and moss. The relentless prodding didn't cease, and he stifled a growl rising in his throat. "I'm serious! I had a mini assessment yesterday- my paws are still sore!" Yet she still didn't stop. The dark brown tabby lifted his head and blinked his eyes open- his vision still blurry.

A pale gray she-cat was standing ahead of him, her darker markings standing out on her light pelt. Her bright blue eyes were staring into his amber ones, filled with curiosity. "How did your assessment go?" Spottedpaw asked, ears twitching. "Did you pass?"

The amber-eyed-tom muttered something inaudible before kicking a scrap of bracken at her and shoving his face back into the moss, trying to block out all signs of light. His vision was black and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to breathe evenly and fall into a peaceful sleep. However, he felt as if he had ants in his pelt. He grumbled and shifted around and moved positions countless times before huffing in exasperation and pulling himself to his paws.

He blundered out of the den, still bleary and exhausted with sleep. The newly named Seedpelt and Lilyheart were sitting in the clearing, their eyes glowing. The white spots on Lilyheart's pelt glowed like snow, her dark brown fur sleek and shining. Seedpelt's light bracken tabby fur was neatly groomed as well, her green eyes wide.

Spottedpaw bounded forward to greet him, eyes interested. For some odd reason- the pale she-cat had been badgering him about his assessment ever since he had it, yesterday. She had never taken such an interest in her brother before. Tigerpaw scowled, wondering if his parents had demanded his sister find out, because the dark brown tabby had refused to talk to them.

The truth was- he had failed his assessment. His hunting was a mess. He was so exhausted he had almost tripped over his own paws, and he had scared practically all his prey away. He just got one skinny shrew and one measly vole. Blossomfall was far from pleased, and she had snapped at him all day. When it came to the warrior code, he hadn't answered a _single _question right. Actually- he got one question right, but that was because the only question he got right was the one where warriors reject the soft life of kittypets, because he would never want to be one.

"It doesn't matter." Tigerpaw seethed, scowling angrily at the she-cat and shifting away from her.

The worst part was yet to come. His battle strategies were fine, and he had passed that test with flying colors. However- during fighting, that was where he had messed up big time. With his mentor yelling at him all day, he had just snapped during the fight. He had lunged at Blossomfall, ripping off clumps of her fur and raking his claws across her pelt and he had even bitten her a few times. The tortoiseshell had been furious; her blue-eyes filled with anger, as she slammed her apprentice on the ground and pinned him down. She was none too pleased about her apprentice attacking her. Not to mention he had been so ashamed he could hardly even look at her.

"I bet it went great." Hollypaw chided him. "Just tell us, come on." The dark she-cat dropped a squirrel in front of them before flopping down and curling her tail over her back, neatly picking at it.

The dark tabby scowled fiercely, his eyes like chips of ice. "Why does it matter? Just leave me alone!" With that, he withdrew from the conversation and stormed off, letting out a sharp huff of anger, his whiskers fluttering.

He saw Blossomfall at the side of the clearing, and a nauseous feeling gnawed at his stomach as he could just imagine her telling his parents. She had gone to the medicine cat's den, and claimed that they had a quick run in with a fox cub before chasing it off. The she-cat stalked towards him, her eyes blazing as she stretched out a paw and clouted his ear heavily.

"Why were you sleeping so much?" Blossomfall growled, eyes darkening.

Tigerpaw flinched, cringing beneath her. "I'm sorry." He whimpered, afraid of his mentor's wrath. He didn't want her to delay his apprenticeship or anything.

Suddenly- the worst thing that could possibly happen, his parents bounded forward, eyes shining. Lionblaze's golden pelt was groomed neatly, and Cinderheart's was as well. They looked bright and full of energy- as if they had been awake for quite a while. "Hey, Tigerpaw!" Cinderheart purred, her eyes shining. "We're so proud of you. Blossomfall told us about how great you were doing, when us three were doing the dawn patrol!" She curled her tail around her son's neck and drew him close.

Tigerpaw's mind whirled as he was squashed against his mother's chest. He felt Lionblaze brushing lightly against his side, and his father's amber eyes glowing with pride as well. "Good job, Tigerpaw. Someday you'll maybe even become a better fighter than me!" Lionblaze joked, half-boasting.

The apprentice let out a weak laugh, hoping his smile didn't look to fake. "Maybe," Tigerpaw replied, but he was slowly inching away from his parents. He turned around and shot Blossomfall an incredulous look. "Anyway- it was nice seeing you guys, but Blossomfall is taking me to the mossy clearing for a lesson."

Cinderheart grinned. "Okay. Have fun, Tigerpaw!" She flicked her tail lightly against Tigerpaw's flank before withdrawing, leaving mentor and apprentice alone. As soon as they were out of range, the dark brown tabby spun around to his mentor, jaw dropping.

"You lied?" Tigerpaw exclaimed, shocked.

Blossomfall narrowed her eyes into slits, her pelt slowly rising. "I didn't lie." She hissed, sounding agitated. "I told them you were doing great. You may have failed that assessment- but that was simply because you haven't been getting enough sleep. I'm sure that if you start sleeping properly, in a few moons you'll be able to pass your final assessment." With that she clouted his side heavily again, eyes narrowing even more- if possible. "Why are you so sleepy nowadays, anyway?"

Tigerpaw's heart began to race, and he tried not to panic. So he just shrugged. "I don't know." He mumbled, not looking his mentor in the eye. "My nest is just uncomfortable I guess."

"Well get that nest of yours fixed!" Blossomfall snapped. "Lately it's been like trying to teach a rabbit! Actually, a rabbit would probably be better than you."

"Sorry." Tigerpaw muttered meekly again, flattening his ears.

"Now run. Back and forth across the mossy clearing." Blossomfall ordered sharply, voice determined.

The dark brown tabby didn't bother to ask why- his mentor had a lot of unique training techniques. Instead, he took in a deep breath and bounded forward at a steady pace, running back and forth across the mossy clearing.

After running a few laps- he began to feel the awful pain of exhaustion.

Tigerpaw's lungs were burning. He gulped in a breath of air before dashing forward again, his paws pounding against the ground. His stomach was twisted in agony and his paws felt like they were stones. Exhaustion seeped through him, and he grit his teeth as a wave of nausea rolled over him.

"You can stop now." A call behind him told him.

The dark tabby stumbled to a halt, immediately collapsing to the ground. His lungs burned with agony and he writhed on the ground a bit- trying to gulp in air and calm himself. Black spots danced across his vision, blurring it and making it hard to hear.

"Why did I have to run?" Tigerpaw managed to cough out, struggling to his paws. His mentor had made him run back and forth across the mossy clearing.

Blossomfall looked at him. "Endurance training." She replied. "Running back and forth like this will help you build endurance. This will help you during fights- so you can breathe better while you fight, and if you ever have to run you won't feel as tired."

The amber-eyed tom glanced at her in surprise. He had never heard of such a thing before. _I guess it makes sense, though. _"So, how often am I going to be doing this?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Every other day." Blossomfall replied, looking calm as she spoke to him.

Tigerpaw sucked in a gasp, eyes wide. His mentor was pushing him far too hard. "Why are you pushing me so hard?" The apprentice demanded, tail lashing. "I'm exhausted."

The tortoiseshell pressed her lips into a thin line.

Her apprentice looked nervously at her. Emotion showed clear on her face- fear, anxiety, uncertainty, but almost immediately Blossomfall masked her emotions. The she-cat turned away, her ears flattening against her head.

"I think we've done enough training for today. Maybe we can finish working on those battle moves tomorrow." Blossomfall meowed sharply. She flicked her tail, dismissing him.

The dark brown tabby tom didn't leave. He sat down, shuffling his paws awkwardly, keeping his gaze fixated on the ground. "So…" He meowed, slightly embarrassed. "There's a gathering tonight…" He trailed off, unwilling to ask his mentor directly.

"You're not going." Blossomfall answered, voice cold. "Now go back to camp, and be awake for the midnight patrol tonight."

Tigerpaw tried to force the scowl off his face. "Why aren't I going?" He meowed, voice shaky.

"Did you forget about your assessment?" Blossomfall snapped at him, sounding angry. "This is my punishment to you- while Firepaw and Owlpaw and your littermates go to the gathering and enjoy it, you will be staying here. Now get back to camp, and be awake for the midnight patrol! Got it?"

The amber-eyed tom seethed with fury, turning his face away. "Fine." He muttered under his breath, before stalking back to camp.

_At least Firepaw is going. _However, as he thought about it, an awful feeling of jealousy rose in his stomach and he had to force it down. They had finally begun to become friends, and he wouldn't let some stupid jealousy or rivalry from when they were kits prevent that from happening.


	11. Ten: Fire

_Thank you for all of the reviews, favs, and follows! :) I can't believe I'm at 40 follows and 85 reviews already!_

_Anyway, special thanks to __**Bobbie1776**__ for this chapter. All credits go to Bobbie1776 for the first part of the chapter (until the '...' line break), because Bobbie1776 wrote that. I thought it was fantastic and I loved the way it was written, so I decided to add it in._

* * *

><p>Firepaw crept through the undergrowth, eyes narrowed as she pinpointed her prey. The mouse quivered, as if it sensed her, but as no immediate danger approached, it relaxed. One wrong move, mouse, she thought.<p>

She pounced, landing on the mouse before it had time to ascertain her position. The ginger she-cat gave it a neat bite, and carried it in her maw as she traveled back into camp. Prey was so abundant, she barely had move from the camp exit to find a mouse, or other prey animals. The warmth of the mouse tempted her to crunch into it, but this was for the elders. No way was she disobeying the warrior code at a crucial time in her apprenticeship.

Firepaw trotted into camp, her heart skipping a beat as she saw Tigerpaw chatting with Hollypaw. His dark fur gleamed in the dappled light, and his muscles bulged under his silky pelt. She breathed a sigh but shook herself. What was she thinking?

She padded to the fresh-kill pile, and laid it down. Firepaw realized the heap was so large, she didn't even need to go hunting again that day. It was well past dawn patrol, or any of the patrols, so she had a lot of free time on her paws. She flopped down beside Tigerpaw and meowed, "What's happening?"

Tigerpaw glanced at her, eyes surprised. However, he managed to reply, "There's talk Cherryfall is expecting. With Toadstep, I think."

Firepaw gaped, "But she's my mentor! She can't just abandon me!"

Hollypaw shrugged, "Well, it's happened before; it's just not common. Besides, I thought you wanted a different mentor?"

She blinked and thought about it. Did she? Well, now that she thought about it… "Well, she's not even that good of a mentor. She doesn't even care about my progress. She's the slacker, not me."

He purred, "Well then everything works out for the best. Maybe you'll get Lionblaze."

She churred, "That would be nice."

Hollypaw slyly mewed, "I hear it's Bramblestar…"

"No! That would be awesome, but how?"

"He wouldn't be showing too much favoritism, I mean, he used to ignore you, right?" Tigerpaw asked thoughtfully.

"I guess."

Firepaw heaved herself up as Bramblestar yowled from above, "Let all cats old enough to catch your own prey gather for a meeting!"

The other two apprentices followed her, Tigerpaw leaping beside her. She was conscientious of their pelts brushing for a second, before he blushed and leaned away. Firepaw felt a burning gaze in the back of head, and she turned to see Owlpaw, a look of pure fury written on her face. She shifted uncomfortably and tried to ignore the unpleasant sensation whilst Bramblestar began his announcement.

"Cats, we are here to congratulate Cherryfall and Toadstep, who are now expecting kits! However, this leaves Firepaw un-apprenticed, and we cannot have that! So, I have decided to place her under Squirrelflight." Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Murmurs of unease. Bramblestar noticed this and twitched an ear. "It is rare that an apprentice gets their mother as a mentor- but there is a certain reason I have done this."

Firepaw felt her heart drop as she went to touch noses with Squirrelflight. Her mother nodded and touch noses with her. Owlpaw nuzzled her and whispered enviously, "I wish Mother was my mentor."

Owlpaw appeared to want to say something else, but shut her mouth abruptly and in a sudden mood change, shouldered past her sister. Squirrelflight passed Firepaw to talk to Owlpaw, and Firepaw choked back a sob. Why did her mother love Owlpaw more? And why was Owlpaw so mad? It wasn't fair!

She fought the tears threatening to stream down her cheeks and ran. She ran to where she and Tigerpaw had become friends and threw herself to the ground, sobs and tears pouring out. She crumpled and closed her eyes, wishing with all her heart the pain would stop. She cracked her eyes open as a cat laid beside her, so close their pelts were brushing. It was Tigerpaw.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly.

She didn't reply.

He just lay down quietly and breathed. The rising and falling of his chest was rhythmic. It soothed her, soon drowsing her into a slumber. The last thing she remembered was the feel of his fur on her own.

Firepaw blinked her eyes open blearily and gasped as she remembered what had happened. Tigerpaw was breathing gently, long lashes closed, a peaceful expression on his face.

She looked upwards- and saw it was already moon-high. They had slept all afternoon, ever since Tigerpaw had come back and they talked at noon.

She began to panic. Now the Clan would think they were mates! She felt even worse when she realized she wouldn't mind. They were related! That didn't stop Ferncloud and Dustpelt. Technically they were related in a distant way like her and Tigerpaw.

She shook him awake and hissed, "Get up! Come on!"

He blearily yawned, "Why?"

"Because, mouse-brain! They're gonna think we're mates!"

His eyes shot open. Tigerpaw immediately leaped up and jogged away. Firepaw cautiously followed him, being sure to stay behind a ways. When they reached camp, she cringed, for the evening patrol was already being organized. Squirrelflight was in charge at the moment. "I'll lead one, Lionblaze, you'll lead the other. Take Toadstep, Tigerpaw and Blossomfall. I'll take Owlpaw, Cinderheart and Ivypool."

Squirrelflight jumped down from the rock to join her patrol, when Lionblaze asked, "What about Firepaw? She is your apprentice…"

Tigerpaw had already joined the other patrol. Firepaw uneasily padded to her mother. Her eyes hardened when Squirrelflight gave Owlpaw a playful buck and an amused purr. She gave Firepaw a dismissive glance and meowed, "It's time to go."

Firepaw churned inside. No matter what Bramblestar said, her mother didn't love her. She simmered inside as they padded along the border they shared with ShadowClan. She barely noticed when she walked a little too close to the border, and right in front of patrol, led by Rowanclaw.

He snarled, "Get away from the border, apprentice."

Firepaw defensively retorted, "I didn't actually touch it, or cross it! I was lost in thought."

Squirrelflight gave an apologetic mew, "I'm sorry about her, she tends to daydream more than patrol."

Rowanclaw grunted, "Don't let it happen again."

When the ShadowClan patrol was well out of sight, the deputy gave Firepaw a furious hiss. "What were you thinking? Were you trying to kill us?"

Firepaw felt resentment bubble up inside of her. "At least I don't ignore my kits completely."

Squirrelflight spat back, "You don't have kits, and you don't know what a bother they can be."

Firepaw felt a spark go out of her. She growled, "Is Owlpaw a bother?"

Her new mentor didn't deign to reply, instead focusing on the border. Determined to show Squirrelflight what a maggot-mush she was being, she stared at the border as well. But she still fumed inside.

When they returned to camp, Tigerpaw walked up to her. He meowed, "So how did it go?"

She spat, "How do you think?"

He tried to soothe her, "It's okay, I'm your friend…"

Firepaw snapped, "I wish you would stop acting so friendly! You're only annoying me more."

He, taken aback, growled, "Well, if that's how you feel, maybe I don't want to be your friend!"

Both of them immediately apologized. Firepaw sighed, "I'm so tired of Squirrelflight treating me as if I don't matter. It's not fair. But I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Tigerpaw laid his tail on her shoulder and replied, "Let's go get a mouse. Maybe that will make you feel better."

She nodded, but inside, her heart ached.

…

After the hunt with Tigerpaw, the ginger apprentice padded back to camp, feeling sullen. The dark brown tabby had talked to Owlpaw, and for some reason looked depressed, and immediately after that been called off to training with his mentor. He hadn't looked back at Firepaw or asked if she was okay. Firepaw was… in a word, depressed. Her ears were flattened against her head as she sat quietly in the clearing- alone.

It felt like she was waiting- waiting for a pelt to brush hers as it sat down beside her.

But nobody came.

Not even Hollypaw.

The dark gray furred she-cat and her sister were bouncing happily near Cinderheart and Lionblaze, their eyes glowing with the excitement of going to their first gathering. Firepaw wished she could feel as excited as them- but through the corner of her eye, she could see Squirrelflight gently grooming Owlpaw- her other daughter.

Her green eyes darkened even more as Bramblestar padded over to join them. Firepaw couldn't help but notice how happy the three of them were- just three of them, no 'Firepaw' in the picture. They were laughing, Bramblestar's eyes shining with affection, Squirrelflight's pretty green eyes glowing, Owlpaw looking excited as ever. They were a beautiful family.

Firepaw was just the 'other'. The outcast. She didn't know why, but she was. When she was a kit, her mother was so nice to her! Ever since her mother talked to Leafpool that one time, after they had snuck out of camp, Squirrelflight's eyes had turned cold and she had never regarded her daughter in the same caring, loving way.

Mentor-apprentice bond. The bond, usually so strong, was cold as ice and just as brittle, when it applied to them. The mother-daughter bond wasn't even existent. Firepaw often wondered if her mother even _realized _that she had another daughter.

It wasn't like Firepaw was ugly or disabled. She was a regular she-cat. All her limbs worked, and the ginger she-cat thought she looked just fine. Sullenly, she padded towards a frozen-over puddle, a small block of ice, and looked at a quite blurry, but still see-able reflection.

She had a sleek fiery colored ginger pelt, with a slender but still strong frame. She had neat, triangular ears, and her cheekbones were angular. She had long, strong limbs and a long tail- sure sign of being a good warrior. Firepaw was often complimented on her eyes- which apparently were a beautiful, almost emerald green color. Not in a stuck-up sort of way, but Firepaw considered herself quite pretty.

Sighing heavily, she lay down on the ground again, looking sideways at the puddle. She dragged one paw through the ice, her claws unsheathed. She watched as her sharp tips dug marks in the ice, digging up snow on both sides as her claw marks engraved themselves into the icy solid.

She longed for nothing more than a simple 'hey' or 'hello' of acknowledgement- from either parent, or sister! Firepaw realized that she may have been the one who marred the relationship she held with her sister, but she regretted that. She had apologized countless times, but her stubborn amber-eyed sister had refused to accept the apology, without stating a clear reason.

Then the most odd thing happened- a light brown tabby padded over, stripes rippling as she sat down beside her. "Firepaw? Are you feeling okay?" She questioned.

Without responding, she turned her face away and glanced back at her family. Bramblestar caught her gaze for a moment, and his eyes darkened a bit, emotions swirling in his amber depths. Guilt, shame, worry, fear. Then he tore his gaze away and fixed them on his other daughter, but he wasn't smiling anymore.

"No." She meowed, lowering her gaze onto the ground ahead of her. "I'm not."

She didn't expect him to care- she didn't expect anyone to care. After all, she was Leafpool, wasn't she? Squirrelflight's sister- someone who probably hated Firepaw as well. Miserably, the she-cat lowered her gaze and pressed herself against the ground.

"Are you feeling alright?" Leafpool meowed, sounding worried. The she-cat gently parted Firepaw's fur, and checked through it- as if checking for disease. "Will you roll over onto your back, so I can feel your lungs?"

The ginger she-cat shook her head no. "I'm feeling fine. I'm just upset." Firepaw meowed, trying to resist the urge to snap at her.

"Are you sure? Let me check your lungs, anyway." Leafpool insisted, eyes narrowed. "Before the gathering."

Firepaw hissed something inaudible. "Why." She muttered, narrowing her eyes. "It's not like there's anything wrong with my lungs…"

Leafpool hesitated for a heartbeat, a shadow flickering across her face. Then she smiled again. "No, no." She reassured the apprentice. "Your lungs are fine- just let me check. I'm just… curious."

"Fine." The ginger she-cat scowled, flicking her tail.

"Come to my den." The light tabby meowed, and Firepaw padded after her.

Once in the den, Firepaw rolled over and Leafpool gently placed her paw on her chest. "Breathe in and out. Deeply." The light brown tabby meowed gently. Rolling her eyes, Firepaw took a few deep breaths. Leafpool's eyes were narrowed in concern, but she released Firepaw.

"Happy now?" Firepaw snapped, all of her loneliness had vanished- only to be replaced by irritation.

Leafpool looked worried. "Maybe you should stay in camp, instead of going to the gathering."

"What?" Firepaw growled, eyes blazing. "I don't want to stay in camp!"

The light brown tabby murmured something under her breath, looking worried again. "You can go next time." She offered, but Firepaw shook her head angrily.

"No!" She exclaimed.

Leafpool frowned. "Stay in camp, Firepaw. I'll go tell Bramblestar."

Now she wasn't lonely _or _irritated. Now she was just furious. "Stop telling me what to do! You aren't my mentor!" Firepaw yowled at her, unsure of what else to say. "Just keep away from me!" She didn't know why she felt so defensive, but she stormed out of the medicine cat's den.

The gathering patrol was already leaving, and she charged after them. She was slightly shaken from Leafpool's reaction to her lungs- but it was nothing… right? _Mouse-brained medicine cat. Probably just trying to scare me. Maybe Squirrelflight put her up to it. _As Firepaw padded after the patrol, she seethed.

She didn't look around as she walked, not curious at all of her surroundings. The green-eyed apprentice kept her head low, and was quiet. She would never admit it- but she longed for Tigerpaw to be at her side.

"Hi, Firepaw." A voice meowed in her ear, and she flinched away from it in shock. It was Owlpaw. The dark brown tabby's voice was overly bright as she addressed her sister. "I see you've got your eyes set on Tigerpaw."

_Wow. Pretty straight-forward. _Firepaw just shrugged. "We're just friends." She meowed quietly.

"I hope you really do like him as a friend. Only, a friend." Owlpaw's voice was dripping with venom now, as she shot her sister a poisonous glare. Firepaw didn't know what was wrong with her sister- half the time she was bright and happy, but the other half of the time Owlpaw acted more poisonous than an adder.

Firepaw shifted a bit further away from her sister, and muttered, "What does it matter."

The dark brown tabby stepped forward with her single white paw, Firepaw had noticed. It glowed softly in the light, a pretty snow-white color. What stuck-out to her more were the unsheathed claws.

"It's just that _I _like Tigerpaw." Owlpaw announced, smiling in a sickeningly sweet way. "And he says he likes me."

The ginger she-cat stopped in her tracks, the world spinning around her. Her stomach clenched and she felt sick, bile rising in her throat. "W-what?" She stuttered.

Tigerpaw had… laid next to her. He had comforted her. No. She refused to believe it. The memory of afternoon darted through her mind, as vivid as if it had happened just a while ago.

_She cracked her eyes open as a cat laid beside her, so close their pelts were brushing. It was Tigerpaw._

_"Are you okay?" He asked softly._

_She didn't reply._

_He just lay down quietly and breathed. The rising and falling of his chest was rhythmic. It soothed her, soon drowsing her into a slumber. The last thing she remembered was the feel of his fur on her own._

"Yeah." Owlpaw's voice jerked her out of the flashback. "And… he already asked me to be his mate."

Firepaw narrowed her eyes incredulously. "You're lying."

_We hunted together… just earlier today._

Owlpaw smiled maliciously, showing teeth. "He already told me about how he was training you at midnight. About how you kept flirting with him, falling asleep on purpose beside him. He thought it was pathetic."

Suddenly the ginger she-cat's throat felt dry, and she couldn't meet her sister's eyes. Tigerpaw… Tigerpaw had told her? He had promised! He had promised to keep their training a secret, because Firepaw was embarrassed about it. How could he do this? How could he tell Owlpaw about it?

The green-eyed she-cat suddenly felt as if she couldn't talk. All she could do was listen as Owlpaw just said more and more things to back up her point.

She had so much evidence… how could Firepaw not believe her?

"Also, he told me about that night you guys were watching the stars. He imagined it was me, lying down next to him. He wrinkled up his nose in a cute way and looked sort of embarrassed, but I told him there was nothing to be embarrassed about." Owlpaw shrugged, as if it was nothing to her. "Not only that- but that night you guys didn't train, the night on his assessment… he actually spent it with me. He said he just used you as practice for how to talk to me, and how to have an apprentice."

Owlpaw sounded earnest, actually earnest, as she continued. Her mood had switched so suddenly Firepaw didn't have time to react. Either Owlpaw was extremely good at lying, or Firepaw was extremely bad at accepting the truth. The truth that, Tigerpaw didn't care about her. "I'm sorry, sister." She laid her tail lightly on her sister's shoulders.

"No." Firepaw choked out, shaking her head. "No."

"I can tell him I don't like him, anymore..." The she-cat meowed, amber eyes round.

The ginger she-cat just shook her head, feeling as if she had forgotten how to breathe.

Firepaw felt pathetic and used, flushing red. She couldn't bear it anymore, and took off from her sister's side. How could Tigerpaw betray her?

Her misery churned inside of her- like a storm. Anger managed to get ahold of the mix, and she had to grit her teeth at the thought of the tom.

_I knew he was horrid! He was just using me all along… I'll show him. _Then the she-cat hissed with fury and stalked ahead, not afraid of the tree-bridge.

"Be careful." Hollypaw called, eyes round.

"Like you care." Firepaw muttered quietly, under her breath.

Then she stood up onto the tree-bridge, and sauntered across. She felt shaky and miserable, and let out a yowl of surprise as she slipped. Nobody caught her scruff- remembering for a heartbeat that nobody was within range of her, due to her fast pace of walking. She scrabbled for a grip and shot across the log, praying she wouldn't fall. As soon as her paws touched ground again, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Firepaw didn't bother to explore. Whats the use of exploring, if cats were just going to hate you wherever you go? So she sat in the corner of the gathering, seething.

She listened to the reports.

Bramblestar announced Cherryfall's pregnancy, the five apprentices, and the two new warriors. WindClan announced Fawnpaw and Stagpaw, and a new warrior who's name she hadn't paid attention to. ShadowClan had Pricklepaw and Marshpaw, and a new queen. RiverClan had a new apprentice and a new warrior. Or something.

Firepaw couldn't concentrate. She was too miserable. She just wanted to go home.

"Is it your first gathering?" A voice said from above her. It was foreign, and she didn't recognize it. However, due to the scent that was tainted with the smell of rabbits, she assumed it was from WindClan. The voice was cool, collected, but also frosty- as if he were making an effort to be friendly.

"Yeah." She hissed, wondering what she would have to say to make him go away.

She lifted her head, and to her surprise a full-grown tom stood before her.

He had a lean, but sturdy frame. Sleek black fur covered his body, a body that was marked with battle scars. Muscle rippled beneath his pelt as he turned, and he had bright amber eyes.

"What's your name?" He asked.

Stifling a sigh, she replied, "Firepaw." As she spoke his name, a glint came to his eyes. An excited glint. Realizing he was expecting her to ask him his name, she did. "What is your name?" Her voice was dull, listless.

He smiled, showing razor-sharp teeth. "Breezepelt." He paused, then continued. "You're from ThunderClan, aren't you? Who are your parents?"

Thinking about them made her angry. "Bramblestar and Squirrelflight." She muttered darkly.

"Lucky?" He teased. He seemed to have lightened up a lot since she said 'Firepaw', and he looked almost… friendly.

"More like unlucky." She muttered, ear twitching.

Breezepelt shrugged. "It's okay." He answered, eyes gleaming. "My father didn't care about me that much either. But I know a way to make your parents care about you." He dropped into a low crouch, waggling his hind-quarters.

"Oh, and that is?" Firepaw meowed scornfully.

"I'll teach you how to be the best warrior in your clan." He offered, amber eyes glinting.

The ginger she-cat nearly scoffed at that. First Tigerpaw, now him. "You're in WindClan." She pointed out. "You can't train me."

"We could meet every other night- at midnight." He promised her.

Everything inside of her screamed no, and she thought about Tigerpaw. She trained with him. _'He thinks you're pathetic.' _Owlpaw's voice danced mockingly in her head, taunting her, leering at her. Firepaw grit her teeth, eyes narrowed.

Breezepelt could teach her better- he was a warrior. And he was WindClan, which made him forbidden. She would prove to Tigerpaw that she didn't need him, and after she completely iced him out- completely showed to him she couldn't care less about him, then they could stop meeting.

A wave of hatred for Tigerpaw washed over her, so strong she she almost stopped breathing. She forced herself to remain calm as she looked up at the black tom.

Breezepelt could be the key to her revenge.

For now she would have to pretend she liked him, just so he would agree.

She smiled innocently up at him. "Okay. Lets do it."

* * *

><p><em>Again, Bobbie1776, thank you so much :) ALL CREDITS GO TO YOU FOR THE FIRST PART!<em>

_Anyway, I know this chapter was really packed full of stuff. I do realize Firepaw and Tigerpaw had just gotten together, but the Owlpaw thing isn't going to be such a big deal. That is definitely not the biggest problem- but Breezepelt will play a big part. You might be wondering how it all fits together, but I've got it all planned out :P so don't worry._


	12. Eleven: Tiger

_Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favs! :) I'm so close to 100 reviews! :D I'm excited. Anyway, the first part of this chapter is from StarClan's P.O.V, the second part is from Tigerpaw's. _

_I've decided to do review replies._

_**Lawsonsog:**__ There is actually an important reason on which Squirrelflight acts like she doesn't like her daughter, but she does. Bramblestar was telling the truth- Squirrelflight loves Firepaw, theres just a reason on which the ginger she-cat feels as if she can't approach her daughter and love her normally._

**_Bobbie1776:_** _Thank you for the past chapter, btw. :D I wasn't really expecting this and I wasn't going to going to add the Breezepelt part in like that either, but then I had the idea in my head so I was like hmm okay. _

**_That-girl-from-outer-space6:_** _You don't know if Breezepelt will use her :D Maybe he will, maybe he won't~ _

**_Snowsong of SnowClan:_**_ Haha :P A few people have commented about a BreezexFire but there won't be one. I'm sorry. Haha, I agree though, Owlpaw really should go die in a flaming watermelon made of legos._

**_So Cheesy:_**_ Aww, thanks. I usually update within a week, depending on how much free time I've got on my hands. Sometimes it takes one or two days, sometimes up to four-five._

**_Moonbeam141: _**_The suspense... is Owlpaw really lying, or not? How else would she have known all that stuff? :D_

**_EmberskyofShadowClan: _**_I wasn't planning on making Breezepelt her mentor or any of that stuff, actually, but yeah I'm glad I did too. It makes the plot more interesting. _

**_Stream that Flows Around Rock: _**_It's a good idea, but I'm afraid I've got something set out and it won't be like that. ): _

...

A slender blue she-cat crouched at the edge of a pool, her blue eyes wide. Her paws were pressed firmly onto the ground, balancing her- but she was trembling. Her ears were pinned against her head and her slender tail was swishing across the ground. The fur on her spine was lifted and her hackles were raised.

Something was bothering her.

The frost shimmering at her paws danced as she took a step back, narrowing her eyes. "What have I done?" She cried out, her voice low and mournful.

In the pool was a slender she-cat with a thin ginger frame. Her green eyes were almost emerald, and she was crouched low to the ground. A dark tom was speaking to her, showing her how to do moves. She looked completely and utterly focused and determined.

But there was darkness lingering in those green depths.

"Now you've done it, Bluestar." A gray she-cat seethed from the edge of the clearing. She had a flat, broad face and a patchy, uneven pelt. Her yellow eyes were narrowed in anger- but the anger was created by the worry and fear gnawing inside of her.

The fear of what lay ahead for their clans.

"I didn't know she…" Bluestar trailed off, sounding miserable. "He," She corrected herself. "Would stray to a dark path. I thought he would be preventing Tigerpaw from straying."

"You don't know that she's chosen the path of darkness yet." The gray she-cat pointed out, pointing one curved, thick claw at the reflection in the pool. However, even she didn't sound certain as she spoke her sentence.

The blue she-cat squared her shoulders. "Yellowfang… something dark is going to happen." She muttered, tail twitching restlessly on the ground. "It's all our fault for tampering with fate- we should never have reincarnated Firestar. He had his own destiny- one that he had fulfilled. We can't tamper with his fate. It never works out."

Yellowfang's voice was low and hoarse as she spoke, "I know, Bluestar, I know." She meowed gravely, looking solemn. "Something horrible is going to happen to the clans. Blood will soak the floor. But this time…" She lifted her head, looking the once magnificent ThunderClan leader in the eye, "There is no savior. There is no prophecy. There is no four."

Then it was silent.

There was a small snapping noise. Both cats lifted their heads in surprise. A small pale green leaf, tinged brown at the edges, snapped off a tree and floated towards them, twisting and dancing in the wind.

As it touched the ground- the air suddenly felt colder, the breeze feeling like ice.

…

Tigerpaw was alone in the forest.

The dark brown tabby tom felt oddly compelled to step forward, into the small hole in front of him. He wondered if his broad shoulders would fit. He didn't think much on it, or what would be in it, and just stepped forward. As he squeezed himself into the tiny hole, he didn't pause to think on how he had possibly fit.

Amber eyes gleamed in the gloom and he padded forward, alone in the darkness. His whiskers brushed a wall on either side of him as he padded through a thin tunnel.

He felt as if he were walking for moons.

A light filtered in from the other side of the cave, and he padded outside of the small tunnel-cave thing. As he stepped outside, the cool breeze brushed past him, ruffling his fur. He purred, weaving around in its warmth.

Ahead of him sat a petite ginger she-cat, pretty green eyes lighting up as she saw him. She meowed his name, bounding forward in excitement. Tigerpaw did the same, his paws carrying him forward, and the two brushed muzzles. They touched tenderly, affection and love flooding between them.

"Hey, Tigerstar." She purred, eyes glowing.

He nosed at her belly, nuzzling it. For the first time he noticed how it was swollen and round- growing as tiny little lives began to form in it. His heart swelled with love as he gazed at the stomach.

"How many kits did he say there were?" Tigerpaw whispered softly, eyes round with adoration.

She smiled happily, looking carefree. "Four." She purred. "They'll be great fighters."

The dark tabby tilted his head to his side, looking slightly bewildered. "Don't you mean warriors?" He asked, bemused.

She laughed- she had such a pretty laugh. Her eyes gleamed brightly, and then for the first time he had noticed himself. How big he had grown. His large, unsheathed claws. Coated in blood. He noticed her claws too, stained in blood.

"No, Tigerstar." She whispered in his ear, rasping her tongue over it. "Don't you remember? We took over the forest together!" She beamed at him, looking proud. "There are no warriors now. Only fighters and hunters. And they all belong to us. To you. If they disobey us, we kill them."

She lifted a blood-soaked claw.

She smiled widely at him, but her smile wasn't beautiful anymore.

Tigerpaw felt sick as he stared at her, his insides twisting.

"I just finished killing a kit. The naughty thing didn't bring me enough moss for my nest." Firepaw reported, eyes twinkling.

The dark tabby almost choked on his own tongue, backtracking. He padded backwards, hoping to find the tunnel to take him back to his old life. But he couldn't. Fear began to close in on him as Firepaw repeatedly called his name.

"Tigerstar! Tigerstar!"

Then her voice became irritated.

"Tigerpaw, wake up!"

The amber-eyed tom shot awake, eyes wild and fur messy and tangled. He felt sick as he thought about his previous dream, and without even opening his eyes blundered out of the den- just wanting to leave and get fresh air.

…

The dark brown tabby wandered around camp, looking for Firepaw. The ginger she-cat wasn't in camp- so he assumed she was out on patrol. They hadn't trained last night so she shouldn't still be sleeping. He shrugged lightly and padded back into the apprentice's den.

He blinked in shock.

Her sleeping form was curled up in a nest, her flank rising and falling peacefully.

Confused, he padded out of the den and into the clearing. He grabbed a shrew and sat down, gnawing into it, deep in thought. Why would Firepaw be so tired? He dismissed the worry- she was probably just catching up on her sleep.

So he chewed quietly and lay down.

Someone plopped down beside him, her dark brown tabby pelt gleaming in the sun. "Hey, Tigerpaw!" She meowed cheerily. She dropped her choice of prey and plucked it closer towards her, beginning to wolf it down ravenously. There was a glint in her eyes that seemed slightly strange- but Tigerpaw dismissed it.

"Hi." He mumbled as he chewed peacefully.

She began to ramble on about something, but Tigerpaw wasn't paying attention. He found her quite annoying these days- she kept trying to get his attention. She had the same neat triangular ears and angular cheeks with the same slender figure. He admitted that she was quite beautiful, however…

He had a thing for ginger cats.

Smiling softly to himself, he thought about how cute Firepaw looked when she was sleeping.

His heart twisted in his chest- he was falling in love so fast. Some part of him told him that they were related, and it was wrong, but he kept reminding himself that so were Ferncloud and Dustpelt.

Another part of him said that she was useless and terrible, but he always ignored that bloodthirsty and darkly ambitious self. He never told anybody- but sometimes he would have dark thoughts. Unhealthy, probably breaking the code, dark thoughts.

The dark brown tabby tilted his head to the side, wondering if Blossomfall would take him to train. The young tortoiseshell was talking with Mousewhisker. Bumblestripe was sharing tongues with Dovewing, who was purring. Tigerpaw wondered if they would have any new kits soon- aside from Cherryfall's litter. They hadn't had kits for quite a while.

He glanced at the apprentice's den for a while, deciding to look at it and wait for Firepaw to come out. It seemed like moons, but eventually a small ginger head popped out of the den, looking curious. Her eyes were bleary with tiredness and her mouth stretched in a mute yawn as she shook out her fur. The she-cat padded into the clearing.

As soon as she saw Tigerpaw and Owlpaw, a shadow passed her eyes. Hurt, pain, disbelief, fury- all emotions seemed to be whirling from her pelt.

Tigerpaw blinked in bewilderment, leaping to his paws. He abandoned his shrew and Owlpaw, suddenly not feeling hungry. He ran across the clearing towards her, wanting to ask her what was wrong.

"Hey, Firepaw." He called, tail waving.

The young apprentice's lip quivered, and she looked away. She looked as if she might cry. She didn't respond to him, just turned tail and fled.

Tigerpaw's heart dropped.

He felt as if he had forgotten how to breathe.

Her running off had left him there- standing, paralyzed, stuttering. "W-what?" He stuttered, turning around in a circle aimlessly. He couldn't understand why she had just left him like that!

He suddenly felt a scorching gaze on his back, and turned around. Owlpaw was gazing at him, eyes narrowed in disapproval. "You can't keep obsessing over my sister, you know." She meowed, voice silky. "She doesn't like you back. But it's okay. I like you."

Tigerpaw couldn't decide which emotion was stronger- his hurt and misery or his disgust. He would never be mates with Owlpaw. She was a friend- an annoying, slightly obsessive one at that. But Firepaw… he had thought she liked him. His amber orbs round with pain, he tore his gaze away and stared down at the ground.

It wasn't true. It couldn't be true.

"Why are you lying." He meowed hoarsely, not meeting her gaze.

She gave him a simple reply. "I'm not."

"Yes you are!" He raised his head, yowling at her.

His vision felt as if it were splattered with red, and it clouded over. He suddenly couldn't see anything except for that little white paw on Owlpaw. How much he hated her at that moment. He unsheathed his claws, ripping into the ground.

Tigerpaw's pelt bristled with anger. "You're a liar!" He screeched.

He didn't know why he was so infuriated, or why he did what he did next. But he did so, anyway. He lunged at her, his whole world blurring until all he could focus on was his target- her throat. His jaw snapping, he shoved her down onto the ground.

"What are you doing?" A shocked mew came from aside him, and then he was thrown off balance. A golden tom stood above him. In the heat of the battle, Tigerpaw could hardly recognize who that was. All he knew was Owlpaw was his victim- and he was to defeat her. Snapping angrily and writhing beneath his father's paw, he struggled in vain to free himself.

Lionblaze's voice was controlled, but still shaking with anger. "Tigerpaw. Calm down."

The dark brown tabby felt as if it hurt to breathe. He gasped in air, trying to clear his head. He dug his claws into the ground, squeezing his eyes shut. He relaxed all his muscles and lay limp for a while, not moving, not thinking. He probably looked as if he were dead.

Tigerpaw didn't know how long, but he lay there, lay there in the clearing. Cats staring at him with horror in their eyes, judgement, disgust.

Then his eyelids fluttered open, revealing a pair of pale amber eyes. He lifted himself to his paws, and then he took a few deep breaths.

Owlpaw was standing in front of him, her amber eyes wide and round as big as an owl's eyes. She looked scared. Tigerpaw raked his gaze across the clearing, trying to pinpoint Firepaw. He saw her. Her green eyes wide.

Her green eyes holding an emotion.

Fear.

Then Tigerpaw closed his eyes and fell to the ground, misery threatening to choke him.

"Tigerpaw, why did you attack your clanmate?" Bramblestar demanded, padding forward. His eyes were blazing with an angry fire, and the apprentice remembered that Owlpaw was his daughter.

"She was lying." He mumbled, but he felt as if it wasn't a good enough excuse. "She told me that Firepaw hated me. She was lying." His mouth felt dry as he spoke.

Firepaw was silent as she sat still.

Perfectly still.

"That isn't a reason that you will attack a clanmate!" The dark brown tabby tom scolded the apprentice, amber eyes narrowed angrily. "You looked as if you were actually going to bite her."

Tigerpaw held his tongue, bowing his head before his leader. "I'm so sorry." He murmured, ashamed. He couldn't meet Owlpaw's eyes, but he turned his body towards her. "I'm sorry, Owlpaw. I shouldn't have let my anger get a hold of me." He didn't bother pleading for forgiveness.

"Half a moon confinement." Bramblestar meowed tightly. "I should have exiled you for this- but I know you wouldn't have killed her. You just lost control." A knowing glint came in his eyes as he stared at Tigerpaw. "It's still no excuse, however, to attack a clanmate- even if Owlpaw was lying."

That was Firepaw stepped in, ears pinned against her head. Her voice was quiet as she spoke, uncertain, but then she raised it. What she said took Tigerpaw's breath away.

"Owlpaw wasn't lying." She meowed, fixing Tigerpaw in a intense green gaze. "I _do _hate you."


	13. Twelve: Fire

_Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favs! :)_

_In this chapter- I decided to put in Owlpaw's short P.O.V. However, it was kind of like the previous nights, and it explains really how she had all that information about the two of them- and the plan. The rest of it is Firepaw, and theres a big discovery about her emotions in this one. :D _

**_Review Replies:_**

**_So Cheesy:_**_ Thank you :D I'm pretty pleased of the chapters too._

**_Lawsonsog:_**_ Lol, Owlpaw was exiled. xD Wouldn't that be a wonderful world. But don't worry- it'll all get better. :D Owlpaw will get what she deserves. _

**_Guest:_**_ Well~ Here it is :D This chapter really does reveal if what Owlpaw says is true or not._

**_Bobbie1776:_**_ Haha. I agree, though. Owlpaw really did screw everything up. (Gosh dang it, Owlpaw!) Firepaw is just upset. Sometimes cats say things they don't mean :O_

**_That-girl-from-outer-space6:_**_ Haha, lol. Owlpaw is pretty good at twisting minds, I guess. :D So much hate right now from everyone towards Owlpaw._

**_kate23186:_**_ lolol. I don't think Owlpaw deserves to die, though. I think she's pretty funny, actually. xD_

**_TimberBreeze of ThunderClan_**_: Don't worry. It will get better. (I'm not creative enough to think of a plot where it actually doesn't get better. D:)_

**_FrostFall37_**_: Here it is~ The next episode. Don't die of suspense! :P_

**_Moonbeam141:_**_ The classic love/hate relationship! + Firepaw may or may not go to the dark side... we do not see Breezepelt's true intentions until later chapters. :P_

**_EmberskyOfShadowClan_**_: Aw, thanks! I like Firepaw's character too- but I originally meant for her to be really complicated and deep and stuff, but it was really tiring to make her like that, so I just changed her character around. xD_

**_rainpool777:_**_ Lolol. Poor Owlpaw! She's getting so much hate! (she deserves it though.)_

**_Cookie Platter_**_: Your on the right track. This chapter explains how Owlpaw knows all the information. :)_

**_Stream that Flows Around Rock:_**_ Yep. Firepaw did believe Owlpaw- because she had so much evidence to back up her statement. Also, Firepaw isn't evil. She may seem to be so- and she may become_ _evil, but currently she is on the good side. Yeah, I'm glad Tigerpaw doesn't like Owlpaw either. That would make the plot verryy complicated. Also, thanks for the idea- I did put in a little bit explaining how Owlpaw knew all that._

**QUESTION: Who do you guys like better? Firepaw or Tigerpaw?**

_(I'm actually really curious about this, and what you guys think of them. I personally think Tigerpaw is a real sweetheart, but Firepaw's personality is funny and sassy. I'll say this though- I think writing Firepaw chapters are more fun. ^^)_

...

Firepaw tossed and turned in her nest, feeling a forlorn feeling in her stomach. She couldn't sleep. She felt as if she had ants in her pelt.

Flattening her ears against her head, the slender ginger she-cat picked herself out of her nest and slunk out of the den. She was silent, unwilling to draw attention to herself. She slipped out of the dirt-place tunnel, not complaining once about the smell.

Tigerpaw wasn't in the apprentice's den that night.

She felt sick to her stomach as she wondered if he was in the mossy clearing, waiting for her. She felt the awful feeling of guilt weighing down on her shoulders.

She padded silently through the forest. It felt as if the whole territory was silent just then- not the single call of a bird or the chirp of a cricket.

As she arrived at her destination, the she-cat hid behind a clump of brambles. Poking her head around, she wondered if he was there.

He was.

The dark brown tabby tom sat silently in the clearing, his amber eyes round. Emotions were swimming in them- confusion, betrayal, hurt, pain, sorrow. She felt her stomach clench tighter with guilt. Tonight she wasn't training with Breezepelt, but she suddenly wished she was. Just so she wouldn't have to see this. To see him like this- so miserable, so lonely, so depressed.

As she watched quietly, he lay down, tucking his paws beneath his chest. It was bitterly cold, the icy wind sweeping past them and buffeting his pelt. He didn't seem to mind, as his pale amber orbs flashed with determination and he fluffed out his pelt.

"Tiger-" She whispered, but her voice died in her throat.

His ears pricked at the noise, and he lifted his head, eyes suddenly bright with hope.

Feeling as if somebody had just stuck their tail down her throat, she turned tail and dashed away. She ran towards camp, her paws skimming across the floor, tail streaming out behind her.

_How could I do this to him? He was always there for me… Maybe Owlpaw was lying- maybe he didn't really break my hurt! Those emotions in his eyes. They look so genuine. _She shook her head no. _Even if they are genuine- its too late now. _

So she slipped back silently into the apprentice's den and curled up in her nest. Even though she couldn't sleep, she lowered her head and wrapped her tail around her nose, squeezing her eyes shut tightly.

She wanted sleep to come- but it felt as if it never did.

Only the awful feeling of guilt and regret lurked in her mind throughout the night.

…

"Firepaw, wake up!"

Someone prodded her sharply in the ribs.

She mumbled something inaudible and rolled over, groaning. She must have drifted off last night. She felt as if her mind was too full of thoughts to sleep- but apparently not. Picking herself up, the ginger cat followed her friend outside.

Hollypaw was waiting for her, Mousewhisker at her side. Squirrelflight was sitting in the clearing, her tail wrapped tightly around her paws, looking slightly edgy.

"Don't worry, mother." Firepaw muttered angrily under her breath. "I'm not going to bother you."

Coldly, she shoved past the ginger she-cat she knew as 'mother' and followed them into the forest. They padded lightly forward, patrolling quietly. Mousewhisker looked slightly awkward as he glanced at the ginger she-cat and her similar daughter, while Hollypaw fell back and trotted neatly beside Firepaw.

She flicked the frost off her whiskers.

"Hey, Firepaw." She meowed cheerily, eyes gleaming. "How are you?"

Firepaw snapped back a response. Something on the lines of: 'terrible', or, 'what do you think?'

"Fine." Hollypaw sulked, before padding silently, her jaws snapped shut. She didn't try to talk to Firepaw again, and the ginger she-cat didn't feel guilty at all. She was suffering from sleep loss- _and _friendship loss. Maybe she was depressed.

Feeling hopeless, the green-eyed she-cat sighed miserably, pinning her ears against her head.

Firepaw couldn't even tell her own emotions apart.

…

_A dark-furred she-cat was crouched in the undergrowth, her eyes gleaming in the darkness. Her single white paw glowed softly in the moonlight- an eery, almost grayish color. She couldn't sleep. Her sister's nest was empty and cold. Tigerpaw's was vacant as well. She had the awful feeling that they were out. Together._

_So she decided to leave her own nest, and follow their scent trails into the forest._

_After padding a while, she began to feel hopeless. Maybe they weren't meeting in ThunderClan territory. Then a thought occurred to her- at around the same time the two began disappearing from their nests did Firepaw start improving drastically in her warrior abilities. Amber eyes glinted with triumph and she waved her tail as she realized she knew where to go._

_So that was how she ended up. Crouched low in the undergrowth. Her face a mask of shock as she watched them. Her eyes were narrowed with hot fury as she stared at the two of them- so sincere, so pathetically and bitterly sweet._

_Envy gnawed at her stomach. Envy and anger. How could Firepaw betray her? The ginger she-cat had never liked Tigerpaw! It seemed as if, right after Owlpaw confessed her crush on him, did her sister take an interest in the handsome dark tabby tom. _

_The young apprentice crouched in the undergrowth. She knew something was up. Her sister must be using him._

_Wanting to stroll out of the brambles and shock them, she had to bite her tongue to avoid doing so. She tasted blood in her mouth, and thought about how bitterly sweet revenge would be. She would help save Tigerpaw- save him from her sister's twisted, manipulated ways. Then he could be hers. They would have kits and a beautiful life._

_So- a plan slowly began to devise in her mind._

_A sick, cold smile curved on her lips as she thought about exactly how it would play out. She would keep sneaking up on them- seeing what they were doing, and then, after one night when she sees her sister showing real vulnerability- she would take advantage of it._

_One part of her gnawed guiltily at her, feeling bad for what she was going to do. She forced the guilty thoughts aside, knowing her sister was probably manipulating the tom, and she was just giving Firepaw a taste of her own medicine. _

_Firepaw had manipulated their mother- tricked her. Owlpaw didn't know how, but she did. And that wasn't good. Squirrelflight was shocked, and also furious when she found out. So was Bramblestar, but he took it better than his mate did. He was just disappointed Firepaw never admitted it to them. Squirrelflight however, didn't want to spend time with her daughter- she was too afraid of how much it would hurt… after…_

_The dark she-cat jerked her thoughts away. No. She wasn't going to think about that. Her throat closed up and her heart hurt in her chest. It hurt too much to think about it._

_Owlpaw remembered just how miserable Firepaw had been when she had gotten Cherryfall as her mentor. She remembered how bad her sister was performing. It was all Tigerpaw's doing that had gotten her good. That was why she was manipulating him. But Owlpaw would put a stop to it._

_It was weird, perhaps, but Dustpelt and Ferncloud were related as well. They were happy as they could be, and they had multiple litters of kits. They loved each other._

_That was what Owlpaw wanted for her and Tigerpaw. They would have beautiful kits prancing around their paws, and their eyes would be alight with love and joy. They were a perfect couple. They were destined- their names were written in the stars. Tigerpaw just didn't know it yet. He was too wrapped around Firepaw's paw to know it. To even acknowledge it, or realize it._

_But Owlpaw would free him from her grasp._

_A wild, almost crazed light came into her eyes as she grinned madly, tearing her gaze away from the two. She bounded back to camp, suddenly feeling a lot more relaxed._

_Everything would work out._

_Firepaw would finally get what she deserved, and Tigerpaw would belong to Owlpaw._

…

After returning from the dawn patrol, Firepaw trotted lightly into camp. She looked around. Hollypaw was still annoyed at her from her coldness during the patrol. Tigerpaw and her were most definitely not on speaking terms. Owlpaw and her were probably on worse terms. Bramblestar was busy. Spottedpaw was rummaging around in the medicine cat's den, looking at herbs. Odd, her being a warrior's apprentice, but whatever.

A handsome white tom padded over to her, looking bemused.

"You look as if you've lost a squirrel and caught a tiny shrew!" He exclaimed, amber eyes amused. "Why so down?"

For a heartbeat Firepaw was confused. Snowpaw was a handsome, and a senior apprentice. Why would he be talking to her? She shrugged it off, and pulled on a playful smile.

"Dawn patrol was way too boring." She told him, rolling her eyes cockily. "No border skirmishes- no prey- nothing." She shrugged her shoulders, tail flicking as she sat down. She rasped her tongue over her paw and drew it lightly over her face. "I don't have anything else planned for today. I guess it's going to be a boring day."

The white tom smirked a little at her. "_You _don't have anything else planned?" He teased, waving his tail in the air. "Is the leader's daughter so superior, that she is even more superior to her mentor?"

Firepaw laughed, a smile on her face in what felt like since her and Tigerpaw's fight. "I wish." She admitted, ears twitching. "My mentor just doesn't take my training too seriously- it's more like a second option for her." She shrugged, trying to hide how much that really bothered her.

"Well…" Snowpaw trailed off, looking slightly confused. Then an idea popped into his mind. "How about you, O' great leader's daughter," He bowed down a little at that, shooting her a cocky smirk. "come hunting with me and Amberpaw? We have the rest of the day free as well- we just finished a short assessment."

Firepaw gasped, "Really?" It was very unusual for the older apprentice to hang out with the younger ones, especially since there was a difference of five moons between them. That meant that when they got to the age of being any fun to play with, the older cats were already apprentices.

He shrugged. "You looked lonely." Rolling his eyes arrogantly, he added, "I like to help beautiful she-cats in distress." He added jokingly, sounding amused.

"You think I'm beautiful?" She stuck out her tongue at him.

He didn't reply, just flicked his tail on her shoulder. "Come on!" He called, bounding towards the camp's exit. "Amberpaw's waiting!" In a louder voice- on purpose, sounding amused but also jokingly, he added, "Stop flirting with me and let's get hunting!"

Firepaw's jaw dropped. "Flirting?" She meowed, feeling flabbergasted. "I wasn't flirting!" She yowled in protest before leaping to her paws and shooting after him.

She felt a scorching gaze on the back of her pelt.

She knew exactly who it was.

Tigerpaw.

Feeling her stomach clench, she forced herself to ignore it and run after Snowpaw. She wouldn't let the dark tom ruin her life. Somebody was offering to be friends with her- and she wasn't about to reject it. Not because of Tigerpaw.

She nodded firmly. He would just have to know that she was over him- and that she really did hate him.

However, even though she told herself that, her heart still twisted in her chest. She knew, as much as she tried, she could never forget her feelings for him.

They were too strong.

Firepaw was worried that she even if she tried as hard as she could, she would _never _be able to hate him.


	14. Thirteen: Tiger

_Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows. :D _

_Review replies:_

_**Lawsonsog: Lol, I don't think Owlpaw and Tigerpaw's kits would be that ugly. :P They would just look an awful lot like their parents, both of them being dark brown colored. Also, Owlpaw is slightly delusional, sooo... :D I didn't mean for Owlpaw and Firepaw to not have a good relationship, it kinda just happened. 0.o**_

_**Crystalbreeze of SkyClan: Thanks! :D Here's the next chapter.**_

_**Bananastarxox: Thanks! :D Here's the next chapter.**_

_**Stream that Flows Around Rock: Yeah, it's hard to choose which one is better. :P I think the same. Also, the Firepaw manipulating Squirrelflight thing- you'll find out about later. It wasn't completely the truth, but it was what Owlpaw thought, and she is kinda craycray. xD Anyway, I kinda ship SnowxFire, they're really cute. **_

_**kate23186: you'll find out about why Squirrelflight is so cold to Firepaw next chapter. :) And, I think Owlpaw is funny, because she's kind of delusional and idk I find that amusing.**_

_**TimberBreeze of ThunderClan: Haha, me too! :)**_

_**Bobbie1776: Ah. Firepaw has a nice sassy personality :P But yeah, I agree, Tigerpaw is such a sweetheart ):**_

_**FrostFall37: Haha. :D Thanks~**_

_**So Cheesy: Thank you! :) Here's the next chapter. Oh, it seems more people like Firepaw than Tigerpaw. :D**_

_**Snowsong of SnowClan: Me too. :P They're adorable.**_

**_Mollsballs: Well, I did. :D Here's the next chapter._**

**_EmberskyOfShadowClan: Haha, yep it will. :)_**

_At the end of this chapter, it will be set in the Dark Forest cats P.O.V, by the way. Just to clear up any confusion that there is. (Thistleclaw and Mapleshade are both still alive, and haven't faded. I checked.)_

...

Tigerpaw was dreadfully bored. It had been almost a quarter-moon of of doing nothing. Of course, inside of camp, Blossomfall would still talk to him about the battle tactics, and make him run around camp- but they couldn't do battle moves, or any hunting, or any patrols.

All he could do was sneak jealous looks at Firepaw and Snowpaw.

Today was just another day of confinement, and as he was jogging around camp he couldn't help but see how nice they looked together. Firepaw was laughing, her head thrown back in surprise, pretty emerald green eyes sparkling. Snowpaw was touching her shoulder with his tail, smiling softly as well.

They really were nice together.

He tore his gaze away from Firepaw, his heart hurting. He could never be with her. Forcing his gaze to settle on Owlpaw, he noticed how she really didn't look like her sister quite at all. He didn't want to be her mate. He couldn't even think about being her mate. Miserably, he lowered his head as he jogged, fixing his gaze on the floor.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" A soft voice meowed from his side.

Startled, Tigerpaw fell backwards, stumbling away. He had passed by the medicine cat's den, and Jayfeather had popped his head out and meowed something, scaring the life out of him.

He shook his head 'no', denying it, then remembered that Jayfeather couldn't see. "No." He forced himself to say, but his voice sounded slightly shaky.

Jayfeather looked confused. He muttered something to himself. "You don't feel any hatred to her… at all?" He asked softly, sounding slightly uncertain of himself.

"Um… no." Tigerpaw frowned- was he supposed to hate her? "I don't hate her."

"Do you want to be leader, Tigerpaw?" Jayfeather meowed all of a sudden.

That stopped the dark brown tom in his tracks. He turned towards the medicine cat. Ambition clouded his eyes, and he wondered for a moment if he did want to be leader.

His ambition took his breath away.

As he thought about it, the more and more he realized he wanted it. He wanted to be leader so much it hurt. Amber eyes widened in shock- clearly not expecting this reaction. He didn't even realize he wanted to be leader this much- every time he thought about it, he always dismissed it as a kit-like fantasy.

But it wasn't. Now that Firepaw was ignoring him, he had been thinking of a lot more things lately. That question took him in surprise, and he wondered for a moment how much he really wanted to be leader. He really did. He knew that he could make the forest better. That he could improve clan life- make ThunderClan the strongest clan in the forest. He had ideas on how he could even unite clans to create a whole new clan- a clan he could rule.

He forced the ideas out of his head, every time thinking about the dream he had, and how awful it was.

The dark brown tabby looked down towards the ground, his pelt burning. "Yes." He mumbled quietly, suddenly feeling very uncertain and embarrassed about his goal.

"What would you do to become leader?" Jayfeather's voice was soft, a whisper in his ear. It was eery- frightening. The coldness in his tone, but the harsh need to know.

The tom scooted further away from the blind medicine cat, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. "I would work hard… as a warrior- and if I'm lucky, as a deputy…?" He trailed off, sounding confused by the question. "What did you think I would do?"

The gray tabby's eyes blazed with an intensity. "Would you kill, to be leader?" His voice was hushed, but the word 'kill' jut out like a sharp rock, cutting Tigerpaw's pelt.

"K-kill?" The dark brown tabby stammered, feeling as if he swallowed his own tongue. "I… I…" He found that he couldn't answer this question. It should have been a straight-forward, determined, honest, no. However, it wasn't. He found himself stuttering. "No." He forced it out.

But he felt uneasy.

What was going on? He had never felt such ambitions before. Usually he just thought about working hard and Firepaw. He would wait with great anticipation when they would meet at night.

Jayfeather looked as if he were pondering something.

"Are you sad that Firepaw doesn't like you back? Do you miss her?" He whispered.

"Why are you asking me this?" Tigerpaw snapped, feeling defensive all of a sudden, flattening his ears against his head.

Jayfeather just repeated himself, "Do you miss her?"

"Yes." Tigerpaw answered, scowling. "Happy now?"

"Were you this ambitious before Firepaw stopped being your friend?" Jayfeather questioned him, his tail twitching from side to side. The pale gray tabby looked as if he were onto something, but wasn't completely sure if it were true or not.

The answer to the question was 'yes'. However, Tigerpaw didn't want to admit it. For some reason, he felt as if it were wrong, that he had suddenly turned ambitions after Firepaw stopped being his friend. He didn't want to admit it. It felt forlorn- like there were going to be consequences.

So he lied, "No." He lied between his teeth, looking away from the tom.

Jayfeather looked doubtful. "Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes." Tigerpaw's pelt burned, and he was sure that his ear-tips were pink. "I'm sure." He lowered his gaze, and didn't lift it. He waited for a reply- but there was none. After he raised his head, Jayfeather was gone. Just like that. Feeling slightly disconcerted, he forced himself to pick up a jogging pace as he ran, huffing slightly.

His gaze flickered back to Firepaw.

He felt as if he were torn.

If it wasn't the ginger she-cat lingering in his thoughts, it was his ambitions.

He didn't know what was happening to him- but he suddenly felt as if being the best warrior he could be, suddenly wasn't enough. He needed more. He needed to be deputy. Than leader.

He knew he was the best. Tigerpaw knew he was the most fitting for it.

If he didn't get deputy position… His heart twisted in his chest. He didn't know what he would do.

…

"You're cute when you laugh." Snowpaw chuckled, flicking a petite ginger she-cat over the nose. She widened her eyes in protest, batting him playfully over the ears.

Hot jealousy burned inside of Tigerpaw as he glared at the white tom through narrowed eyes. It wasn't fair! They had only known each other a quarter moon and were already acting as if they were ready to become mates. Not only that- but Snowpaw was much older than her!

Firepaw bounded towards the fresh-kill pile, digging out a small shrew. She grasped it gently between her jaws before setting it down. Snowpaw settled beside her and they sat together, their white and ginger fur blending together as they shared their prey.

Tigerpaw seethed in the side of the clearing, chewing his own prey, alone.

He watched as the beautiful she-cat raised her head and looked backwards, as if knowing Tigerpaw was looking at her. He jerked his gaze away but looked at her through the corner of his eye.

Firepaw looked guilty and wistful as she stared at him, her emerald gaze fixated on his dark brown pelt. She didn't bother to move her gaze away, emotions and memories swimming in her beautiful green orbs. Then a flick from Snowpaw caused her to tear her gaze away, flattening her ears against her chest.

His throat closed and his lungs ached, and Tigerpaw felt as if he couldn't breathe. Narrowing his eyes in hatred, he pinned his ears against his head as he focused his amber gaze on the fluffy white pelt of the tom sitting next to the she-cat he was in love with.

Yes- that's right.

In love with.

Owlpaw had mostly left him alone, but occasionally Tigerpaw could feel her stare burning into his pelt. All he could do now was stare jealously at the Snowpaw and Firepaw- and when they weren't around, he would just think about what hard work he could do to prepare him for leadership.

It was as if losing Firepaw exposed a whole new side of him.

His ambitious side. His darkly ambitious side.

Jerking his gaze away from the she-cat, he scowled and padded over to the corner of the clearing. He dropped into a hunting crouch, keeping perfectly still, mastering it.

As he looked down- briefly he noticed just how long and sharp his shiny gray claws were. They were so long they dug deep gouges into the ground as he unsheathed it.

Blackness flashed across his vision, and suddenly, he was standing above a corpse. Dark brown fur was beneath his claws, the skin pink and exposed. His claws were digging deep into the flesh, crimson blood welling up around his claws and tainting it red.

He recognized the cat beneath his claws.

Bramblestar.

His leader.

Blinking hard a few times, the vision peeled away. Feeling sick and uncertain, he tore his gaze away and blundered blindly into the apprentice's den. Lately- these vision have been occurring a lot.

_Whats happening to me?_

…

The celestial sheen of the sky was broken in this place, instead of glowing brightly and lighting up the sky, it was just dark. The sky was alive with color, splashed with an angry red, shadowed blue and dangerous dark gray. It looked, almost forlorn. The forest too, looked threatening and unwelcoming. The trees, the bare trees, their branches crooked and gnarled as they stood, leafless. They casted dark shadows onto the ground, their crooked shadows curved like the sharpest and most deadly of claws.

This place was hallowed.

There were no stars. No moon. Nothing.

A tom was crouched on the ground, hissing something to a tortoiseshell she-cat. His gray-and-white fur was spiky, sticking up in uneven tufts. The other she-cat was a slender tortoiseshell, but her eyes looked cold and her expression stony as she discussed.

They both seemed to be lacking emotion. More specifically- love. Hate and anger swirled in their eyes, but also dark excitement as they looked into a murky pool. It was translucent- you could see a picture through it, but it was too blurred to tell completely. However, it was all they had- and was definitely enough for them.

"His ambition is growing." The gray one meowed, his eyes glinting with excitement. Unsheathing his claws, he dug them into the ground, tail twitching with anticipation.

The other one rolled her eyes. "Calm down, Thistleclaw." She chided, sounding bitterly amused. "It will take him quite a while for it to fully envelop, and devour him. His ambition is still much too small right now. As long as we keep that one," She pointed a hooked claw at a ginger blur in the pool. "away from him, then he will keep up on this path."

"She is taken care of. Do not worry, Mapleshade." A smirk spread across Thistleclaw's face. "Soon she will cease to be alive- and that will destroy him. We will walk in his dreams, and he will discover who he truly is."

The tortoiseshell looked slightly worried, ears twitching. "What if he can't handle it?" Mapleshade meowed, sounding unsure. "What if Tigerpaw isn't the same as Tigerstar?" She sounded less bitter, but slightly more curious. Her voice was gentle as she addressed the young tom- almost as if she were concerned about him. But the dark glint in her eyes proved otherwise.

"Of course he will be able to handle it!" Thistleclaw scoffed, sounding scornful. "He is the reincarnation Tigerstar. Too bad Brokenstar didn't think ahead to save himself. Then our two leaders would have been back." He shrugged, flicking his tail at the pool. "Tigerpaw-Tigerstar, will have to do."

"Once the ginger one- Firepaw," Mapleshade meowed, her voice ice-cold as she spoke the name of the young apprentice. "_Firestar_, is gone, then Tigerpaw will realize his destiny and who he used to be. We will walk in his dreams, and he will become one of us." She tilted her head to the side. "When will Firepaw be… _taken care of_?"

The gray and white tom's eyes glinted as he smiled widely, showing his teeth. "Before Tigerpaw's confinement is lifted." He purred sweetly. "I already know who will take care of her for me."

"I can't believe Tigerpaw-Tigerstar, is in love with our enemy." Mapleshade scoffed, eyes narrowed.

"Relax, Mapleshade." Thistleclaw purred. "Firepaw will be gone soon. I told you- someone will take care of her for us."

"Who?" Mapleshade questioned, eyes wide and unblinking.

Thistleclaw smiled maliciously. "Breezepelt."


	15. Fourteen: Fire

_Thanks for all your reviews! :) Thanks for all the follows and favorites. _

_I'm kind of in a rush, so I don't have time for review replies. But thank you guys so much! Here's the next chapter!_

...

Firepaw curled up in her nest, wrapping her tail tightly around her nose. It was moon-high, and she knew the other apprentices would be going to sleep soon. She slowed down her breathing, making it look as if she were asleep. She stayed like this for a while, waiting for the others to sleep.

After a while, she lifted her head.

All of the nests were full. She couldn't resist a sneaky look at Tigerpaw. He was curled up, his eyelids closed, flank rising and falling peacefully. His dark brown fur was sleek and his face was relaxed, making his features look a lot younger. Almost subconsciously, her green gaze flitted towards Snowpaw. His fur was soft and fluffy, glowing softly in the gloom. He, too, looked younger.

Tearing her gaze away from the two toms, she flattened her ears against her head and waited for the guard to not be looking before sneaking out of camp through the dirt-place tunnel. She snuck out from there so many times that she had almost gotten used to the smell.

The fiery ginger she-cat felt a sliver of excitement. Tonight she was meeting Breezepelt. Last time she met him, he taught her a brand new fighting move that never before had she thought of. Tonight was crucial- as tomorrow noon they would be having a fighting assessment.

As she approached the border, she began to smell the fresh scent that marked it, along with a tang of rabbit scent in the air.

Looking around for him, she realized he wasn't here yet. Shrugging, she raised her muzzle and looked at the sky. It wasn't midnight yet- she was early. She sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws, fluffing out her fur to protect herself from the cold.

She let her gaze trail around WindClan territory, quite curious. The rolling hills were covered with long stalks of grass, each of them coated in a thin layer of frost. The icy breeze brushed through, rustling the grass and causing the stalks to sway back and forth, the frost showering down. Lifting her gaze to the sky, she noticed how it was a very dark, almost purple-blue color. The moon hung in the sky. The sky wasn't as alive with celestial sheen. There were only a few stars, the others all dull and unblinking.

Firepaw shivered, drawing her tail slightly closer to her. She wasn't sure if she shivered from the cold, or from fear. What if a fox came? What if an enemy warrior attacked her? What if the midnight patrol spotted her before Breezepelt arrived? Pushing her worries away, she sat silently, her ears straight up and searching for any noise.

Her eyes detected a faint movement. Dropping into a protective crouch, she narrowed her eyes, unsheathing her claws and digging into the ground. Her ears were pricked, searching for any sounds.

Suddenly something burst out from the tree it was hiding behind and lunged at her. She let out a screech of fear, lashing out blindly at her assailant. She felt strong paws push against her shoulders, and she began to feel despair as she struggled beneath him. Kicking up at his stomach, he grunted. A paw raked down her side.

Confusion swarmed through her. Why weren't their claws? Her panic ebbing away, she looked up to see a pair of familiar amber eyes. Sighing heavily, her heart still hurting from the terror, she stopped struggling.

"You scared me!" She exclaimed, ears flattened.

The tom shot her a smile, but there was something dark about it. "You need to calm down. When you panic, you don't fight as well." He advised her, flicking his tail. "Up."

Obeying his command, Firepaw scrambled to her paws, still panting.

"What are we learning today?" She wondered, slightly bewildered.

"First, we'll be learning how to be the attacker in the ambush. Next- we will learn," He paused for a moment, locking his gaze with hers. "killing bites."

Firepaw took a step back, her pricked ears flattening against her head. "What?" She meowed reproachfully, staring warily at him. "I'm not sure about that… We won't need to know killing bites."

Breezepelt's eyes flashed, and he stared piercingly at her. "You don't?" He snarled, suddenly sounding aggressive and cold. "What about if a rogue is attacking? Killing the one you love? What are you going to do to defend him? He's going to aim for your throat- and what, you're just going to be clawing at his sides? You'll be dead in a heartbeat!" He scoffed, his voice dripping with scorn.

The apprentice was slightly taken back by how much contempt was in his voice as he referred to their type of training, and how much he sounded like he preferred a rogue's battle.

"Well… I guess." Firepaw meowed, still unsure.

"Let's get to our place." Breezepelt instructed.

The two padded towards the very edge of their territories, where the midnight patrol wouldn't pass by.

"First- hide somewhere. I'm giving you twenty heartbeats." Breezepelt meowed, lowering his gaze to the floor before him. "I won't look."

Blinking rapidly as she tried to think, she shot away from his side. She flinched as her pelt brushed his, feeling as if she was sparked. The ginger she-cat clambered through some brambles, wincing every time the twigs rattled and as the sharp twigs dug into her pelt.

"I see you." Breezepelt sounded unimpressed as he stared exactly at Firepaw, rolling his eyes at her pathetic attempt. "Obviously- you were not destined to be a ShadowClan cat."

Scowling, she stepped out of the brambles. "Those twigs shredded my pelt! You could at least give me some credit for being so… enthusiastic." She gestured jerkily at the brambles, sniffing at her pelt and rasping her tongue over the parts where the twigs pulled out tufts of her fur.

Breezepelt let out a sharp peal of laughter. "Like during a battle, if you fail a move, your opponent will stop and thank you for your credit?" He looked bitterly amused. "No, he'd be too busy shredding your pelt." He kicked at Firepaw, knocking her over. "Get into a low crouch."

"What for?" She asked, but reluctantly drew herself up and settled into a low crouch.

She didn't receive an answer- and she didn't really expect one. Breezepelt's ways of training were: shut up, listen, and do as I say.

"Now narrow your eyes and focus your vision on your target." Breezepelt's voice was ringing in her head. He pointed at the tree before her. "Now draw yourself closer." He pushed her two sides closer with his two paws, and poked at her paws so she would even out her balance. "Put your tail out for balance, but don't let it rustle the leaves."

She focused on everything he had said, feeling her heartbeat in her ears.

"Gather your weight onto your haunches. Then push hard off the ground and spring forward, landing dead center on your target." He glanced briefly at the tree. "In your case, before the target."

Firepaw leapt forward, her body soaring into the air, wind whistling by her ears. She landed right in front of the tree.

"Now you probably had knocked down your target. Unsheathe your claws and slash down their pelt. Try to keep them blind to you, so they can't see who you are." Breezepelt instructed, kicking a stick towards her. Where he got the stick- Firepaw wasn't completely sure.

She crouched above it, slashing her claws across it. She tried to stay quiet, and pressed the head down to the ground, making sure her pelt was unseen to the target.

"Good. Don't talk. Don't gloat. Unless you want them to know who you are. Now for the hiding place…" Breezepelt's eyes trailed across the clearing. "It has to be somewhere that you are concealed, and when you leap out- you won't make any noises. Also, it has to be a place where jumping out will be easy, instead of having to claw your way out of branches just leap straight forward."

He pointed a crooked claw at a clump of WindClan stalks of grass that were extremely close together, but it was easy to jump through and by the time the fronds rustled the cat would be on top of the other.

"I don't think I should go on WindClan territory…" She meowed, looking worried.

Then she felt something shove her from behind, and she almost tripped over her paws. She landed in the stream, letting out a squeak of horror as water drenched her pelt. Thank StarClan the current wasn't too strong. As she clawed her way out, she shook out her fur and crouched behind the ferns.

"I can see you." Breezepelt pointed out. "Do as I said. Lower crouch. Press yourself tightly together. Narrow your eyes." He replied. "Your target is me, this time."

"Your so far from me!" Firepaw squeaked in surprise.

He shrugged. "You can pull it off."

Deciding not to argue anymore, Firepaw drew herself closer. She pressed herself as thin and small as she could. She held out her tail behind her, balancing her weight between her paws. Narrowing her green eyes, she fixed her gaze on Breezepelt. She gathered her weight onto her haunches.

Her vision blurred until all she could make out was Breezepelt's sleek black pelt and position. She felt blood roar in her ears, and she could hear her heart pounding against her chest. Something about this felt too real. She leaned and she shoved off the ground as hard as she could, in a powerful leap.

She slammed into Breezepelt, gritting her teeth to avoid a squeak of surprise at how far she had leapt. She didn't land on him, however, and both of them went sprawling. Scrambling to her paws, she tried to slash her claws across his pelt but with one swipe of his paw the tom had knocked her down and pinned her.

He shook his head, looking disgusted. "Terrible." He commented, twitching an ear. "Just terrible."

Seething, she flattened her ears and wriggled out of his grasp as soon as he loosened it. "This is hard." She pointed out. "We haven't learned anything even half this difficult! I've only been an apprentice for a moon and a quarter moon or so."

Breezepelt shrugged. "If you're not up for it, then go home." He pointed into the forest.

"I'm up for it!" She protested, glaring at him.

"Good." He knocked her over almost, and she stumbled before regaining balance. "Now hide somewhere." As Firepaw didn't move, he snapped, "Go!"

Almost tripping over her own paws, she scrambled away from the black tom. She glanced around. A new idea came to her. She hid behind a tree, but instead of staying down, she clawed her way up the branch.

_Thank StarClan Tigerpaw helped me with tree climbing. _She bit her lip as she thought of it, and shoved the dark brown tabby out of her mind. She stayed hidden in the crook between two branches, and smiled smugly as she looked at Breezepelt. He looked thoroughly confused, especially since as he glanced up she couldn't see her, as she wasn't balanced on the branch yet.

As he glanced down, she padded quietly onto the branch. As he was raising his head again to look at the noise- it was too late. Firepaw had already gotten into her crouch and launched herself down to him. She landed squarely on her back, knocking him down. She raked her paws across his pelt, not wanting to unsheathe her claws. As he struggled to glance up, she quickly pressed his head down with one of her hind-paws. He struggled, and she felt him rear backwards. She released his fur and dropped low, swiping out at his hind-paws.

Unfortunately for her- he sensed it coming and kicked out, his hind-paws connecting with her face. She let out a howl of pain, crumpling down.

"That hurt!" She whimpered, pawing at her muzzle. "Is it broken? Bleeding?" However, she felt a tingle of pride as she looked at him. He looked throughly confused and also slightly tired.

Breezepelt was panting slightly. He scoffed at her. "It's not broken or bleeding." He sniffed, flicking her muzzle lightly with his nose. "It's just the initial shock that's hitting you hard. It'll stop hurting soon." Ignoring her whimper of protest, he carried on. "You're too much of a coward to fight like a real warrior. You have to unsheathe your claws. You can't press my head down, you need to _slam _it down. Instead of waiting till I actually rear backwards, you need to predict it and release fast, and swipe at my paws just as I start rearing."

"But I knocked you over." Firepaw meowed triumphantly. Her nose had stopped hurting as much, to her relief. She lifted her muzzle and looked at him in the eyes, grinning.

"So you did." He shrugged his shoulders. "Climbing onto the tree crook to hide, then the tree branch. It was quite clever." He complimented her. "This is how you should always fight. Use nature to your advantage. Even if your not sneaking up on somebody, you can temporarily stun them and scramble up some tree like that. Or if you're pinned, remember that it's only four paws. You can fight with your muzzle too. Push them off and get up a tree, you can also recover slightly there- catch your breath, so on."

He lashed out at her, his paw connecting with her eye. He didn't cut into it, just shoved at it, causing her vision to be a blur. She let out a squeal of pain, whimpering. "Ow!" She wailed, feeling pain lance through her. After her vision cleared, she realized Breezepelt was gone. Warily, she dropped into a crouch.

Immediately, something slammed down on her, claws connected with flesh, and before she even knew it, she was pinned. Breezepelt was standing above her, looking smug.

"Like that." He announced. "Also, don't just sit there." He frowned at her. "If you think somebody will sneak up on you, remember to keep moving. They will be following you, so never stay still. Move around in patterns, best to change your pattern after a while. It's a lot harder to pounce on a moving target."

"Got it." Firepaw nodded at him.

The dark glint from before the training session re-appeared in Breezepelt's eyes. "Now for the killing bite." The way he said it was slightly odd, and he sounded almost dizzy, unsure of himself. But the cold, almost _evil _gleam in his dark amber eyes remained the same.

Firepaw, not wanting to learn it, glanced up at the sky. "I think I should get back to my camp, actually…" She meowed, her voice trailing off as she saw the look in her second mentor's eyes.

She should have run right then and there, but something held her back.

Then something slammed into her and she was pinned down, his unsheathed claws pressing into her throat. Her blood turned to ice. "Do you know the game, cat and mouse?" Breezepelt whispered huskily, his eyes like chips of ice as he stared down at her. Terrified, she nodded. "Want to play?"

With that, he released her.

Blood roaring in her ears, her eyes dilated in horror, she shot off. She streaked into her own territory, swerving around trees and leaping across logs.

This was hopeless.

Breezepelt was _WindClan. _No way could she outrun him. But she had to try.

Gritting her teeth, her paws pounded against the ground, and she pushed herself forward. Panting heavily, her paws sore and her lungs feeling like they would burst, her vision blurring with exhaustion. She wasn't halfway near camp yet, when something knocked her down from behind.

A cold laugh echoed in her ears. Her body was wracked with fear as she curled up tightly, looking miserable. He stood above her, trailing his claw down her cheek and towards her chin. Her breath caught in her throat and everything inside of her was panicking.

_I"m going to die! I'm going to die! _She kept screaming in her mind.

"Help!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Something furry shoved down her throat, and she choked on it. It was Breezepelt's tail, and he glared icily at her.

"Shut up." He snarled, kicking at her side. Her ribs seared with agony. "I'm sorry, but it's time for you to die. You were a great apprentice. Really. You learned quite fast and well, especially for one of your age."

She snapped her jaws shut and sank her fangs into his tail, causing him to flinch with agony as he jerked his tail out of her mouth. His eyes blazed with hatred as he stared at his now bloody and bitten tail.

"You little…" He snapped, before clouting her heavily over the ear.

Her vision spun, and her vision blurred. She suddenly felt so exhausted, so weak. She lay limply beneath him, and she saw a smug look in his eyes.

His claws raked down her pelt, jerking her back to consciousness. She screeched with agony, slapped his tail over her muzzle. She tasted blood. She looked at her tattered pelt, flailing and writhing violently beneath him. Panicking, she remembered what he had told her.

_You can fight with your muzzle too. Push them off and get up a tree, you can also recover slightly there- catch your breath, so on._

Ignoring the pain exploding in her muzzle, she lifted her head off the ground slightly, since he had pinned down all four legs. As the dangerous black tom leaned down to deliver a bite, perhaps a killing bite, she raised her muzzle to intercept it. As their muzzles collided, she had to bite her own tongue to prevent from screaming. She sank her fangs into his leg as he was winded, and his grip on her loosened.

At that moment, she kicked up at him with all the strength she had, and bolted away. Dashing through the forest, she remembered what else he had told her.

Almost as if he were preparing her for this moment.

She swerved, dashing around in different directions, making it harder for him to catch up to her. She felt as if she couldn't breathe, her lungs were screaming. Her pelt was screaming with agony, everything feeling weak and tattered. But she continued.

Firepaw wasn't even heading towards camp anymore. She didn't know where she was heading. She was running around wildly, with no aim of where she was going. She just knew she had to get away from Breezepelt- to save her own life.

She felt something sink its fangs into her tail, and she screeched with pain. Kicking out wildly at Breezepelt's muzzle, his jaws clamped around her tail, she felt him rear backwards to protect his already injured muzzle. She dashed through the forest.

She hadn't even realized it, but she was heading towards Sky Oak.

It was the tallest tree in the forest.

Gritting her teeth, she remembered everything that Tigerpaw and Cherryfall had ever told her about tree climbing. _Unsheathe your claws. Remember to use your tail for balance. Don't look down. Leap from branch to branch, if necessary. Don't go too high. _Her mind was too messy, she couldn't find any of the important aspects of how to climb.

She shrugged it off, and dug her claws into the tree.

"No!" She heard a hiss from behind her, and claws raked down her leg. She howled, fighting against the pain that was clouding her mind. Teeth connected with the flesh in her paw, and she shook and flailed her leg. He never let go.

_I have to climb with three legs. Once I get high enough, he will have to let go._

She used her two front paws and one hind paw to clamber upwards. She dug her claws into the bark, and pulled herself upwards. She felt him dragging her leg down, but she pulled upwards. Waiting for him to release his grip to catch a breath, he did. At that moment, she shot upwards, like a squirrel.

She didn't think, just pulled herself up. She was vaguely aware of him climbing after her. She wasn't sure how he could climb, but he could. Quite well.

Ignoring him the best she could, she pushed upwards. She didn't pause to think how dangerous it was, how high she was getting. She kept climbing, fear wracking her body and threatening to consume her mind. She heard him snarl at her.

"This isn't over!" He snarled.

Then he was gone. He climbed down. She stayed on the tree, crouched. She had to get to the mossy clearing. There was no point in getting to camp- he would check there. She had faith that Tigerpaw would find her. He had to.

She managed to climb down the tree.

She wasn't sure if it was adrenaline pumping through her, or some other sort of strength, but she suddenly felt as if she could do it. She would live. She had to live. She went to the other side of the tree, and leapt directly out of it to the next tree.

She didn't pause to think how she had the ability to do this. She had never learned it. Firepaw just kept jumping from tree to tree, her mind whirling as she managed to arrive at the mossy clearing.

As soon as she arrived, her energy had vanished as soon as it had arrived. She didn't even get down from the tree. She just dropped straight out of the branch she was in, and she tried not scream as she dropped down to the ground. She thudded onto the ground.

Then everything went black.

Her last stream of consciousness was filled with the thoughts of Tigerpaw, and she prayed for him.

_Tigerpaw… please find me._


	16. Fifteen: Tiger

_Thanks for all the reviews! Gosh- I can't believe we are at 150 already :) Also, the favs and follows, 35 and 51! :D This is amazing- I can't believe it almost :P_

_Anyway, this chapter is from Breezepelt + Tigerpaw's P.O.V, its switching around occasionally. Also, this chapter will cause a lot of confusion and questions most likely, but don't worry, the questions will all be answered next chapter. :D_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Review Replies:<em>**

**_Cookie Platter:_**_Haha, guess you'll just have to find out! :) In this chapter, actually. :P_

**_Bobbie1776:_** _Awh, thank you so much! :D I'm rooting for Tigerpaw to find her too! _

**_Slightly Disturbed Cookie Girl:_**_ Lol, thanks :D_

**_Moonbeam141:_**_ Actually, Firepaw did like Snowpaw a lot. But she never really understood why Snowpaw suddenly became friends with her, and that gave her some suspicion :P_

**_Sparrow:_** _Thanks:) Also, I'm sorry, but no. Tigerpaw is not going to pair up with Owlpaw. :O_

_**Stream that Flows Around Rock:** Haha, the determination was actually kind of Firestar inside of Firepaw, because he has this type of (rather annoying, but also helpful) relentless determination that keeps pushing him to go on and stuff. Also, the next chapter- I posted some hints about what we might see in it. :) I think you'll be happy._

_**Amberflame805:** Oh, wow! Thank you so much :) Anyway, here is the next update. I try to update as fast as I can. :P _

_**Molly:** thank you! :)_

**_Guest: _**_Thank you! :) Cliffhangers make good endings for chapters, I think. :D _

**_Pepperpelt: _**_Thank you :)_

* * *

><p><em>Also, some hints for the chapter after this one...<em>

_•It won't be Firepaw's P.O.V_

_•It won't be Tigerpaw's P.O.V_

_•There will be a lot of explaining in it_

_•There will be a P.O.V of a certain ginger-furred mother_

_•Also the P.O.V of a determined white tom and a jealous dark-furred sister_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Anyway, here's the chapter! :)<em>**

...

A black furred tom stared in fear, cowering before the one standing above him.

"How cold you have let her go?" He roared, eyes blazing and claws unsheathed, rearing upwards and slashing at the empty air.

The black tom whispered something, barely loud enough for the other to hear. He pinned his ears against his head, flattening himself down.

"Obsessed!" The gray-and-white tom spat at the black one, thoroughly infuriated. "Thats what you are! You're obsessed with destroying everything to do with your stupid father's kits in ThunderClan! They aren't everything. You need to start realizing what is truly important!"

With that, the gray-and-white tom turned away, pelt bristling angrily, and muttered something over his shoulder to the silent, unusually subdued black tom.

"Do not fail me again."

…

Tigerpaw awoke in a panic, heart pounding. He had a nightmare. In it, he was vicious and blood-thirsty, his claws connecting with Bramblestar's neck. Then he had raced off to the forest. A pretty ginger had approached him, and he had heartlessly ripped his claws across her pelt and tore out her throat. He felt panicked- what was happening to him? Why did he keep dreaming these strange things?

Looking around in the den, he noticed two things. One- Snowpaw wasn't in the den. Two- Firepaw wasn't in the den, and her nest was cold. _Have they gone off together? _He thought sulkily, scowling. Padding out of the den, feeling more awake than ever, he realized it wasn't quite pre-dawn yet. Shrugging, he settled down in the clearing.

He didn't decide to take any prey, just fluffed out his fur and lay down for a while, glancing around the dens.

Cats lay beside each other, in their dens, curled up in their nests. Mossy nests with downy feathers, woven together neatly. Warmth flooded through each other as they pressed tightly, their fur blending together and mottling. Their flanks were rising and falling with every breath they took, their whiskers fluttering as the air slowly filtered out from their mouth. Some of their tails twitched in a playful manner, some were flailing around in a nightmare, the others were just completely still, almost dead from exhaustion. It was cold outside, but warm in the dens. The cats were warm.

Tigerpaw found it interesting to watch cats as they were asleep. They were so vulnerable. They were oblivious to everything in the waking world- to consumed in their own dreams to notice. Tigerpaw could pad up to one of them, and rip open their neck.

He blinked, eyes dilating in horror as he pictured his claws drenched in crimson blood, permanently stained red. He shuddered, fluffing out his fur and trying to squish his neck closer to his body and pull himself closer together.

A rustle of movement jerked his attention. He watched, bemused, as Snowpaw padded back into camp. He was twitching his whiskers, his nose slightly wrinkled. The tom had just came from the dirt-place tunnel, and his eyelids were heavy with sleepiness.

Tigerpaw's heart dropped. Where was Firepaw? He knew he shouldn't have done what he did next- but he couldn't resist. Did Snowpaw do something to her? A surge of protectiveness and anger arose in him, and he leapt forward and skidded in front of the older apprentice.

Amber eyes widened in shock and Snowpaw reared backwards, almost stumbling over his own paws. "What?" He meowed in shock, looking a lot more awake than he did previously. "What are you doing?"

"Where's Firepaw." Tigerpaw hissed, eyes narrowed.

"I don't know?" Snowpaw meowed, shrugging his shoulders carelessly. "Why do you care? I thought she hated you." He twitched an ear, looking slightly smug.

Tigerpaw seethed. "Just because she hates me doesn't mean I hate her. I'm worried. She isn't in her nest, and her nest is cold." He snapped defensively, claws unsheathing and digging to the snow in exasperation. "So tell me- where is she?" He repeated himself, sounding more agitated than before.

"I seriously don't know!" Snowpaw snapped, looking annoyed now. He shouldered Tigerpaw, looking angry. "Why do you care so much, anyway? You were such a jerk to her- playing her and leaving her for Owlpaw!"

"What?" Tigerpaw roared, rearing up on his hind paws and slamming his paws down into the snow. "I didn't leave her for Owlpaw!" The dark tabby wanted to snarl at Snowpaw some more, but he had to hold his tongue. Where was Firepaw? Snowpaw looked dead serious as he said he didn't know, and his annoyance proved that he didn't know where she was, and his asking was irritating him. Because he didn't have the answer. "Get out of my way." Tigerpaw shoved the older apprentice aside.

"Hey!" Snowpaw snapped, scrabbling to his paws and shaking out the snow from his fluffy pelt. His amber eyes flashed coldly as he regarded the younger apprentice, and he drew himself to his full height. Even with the huge age difference, the two toms were almost the same height. Tigerpaw was a tiny bit smaller, but not by much.

"I need to find Firepaw." Tigerpaw hissed. "Do you have any idea where she is?" His patience was growing short, and he began to scrape at the snow in frustration. "She could be hurt!"

The anger melted off of Snowpaw's face, and worry replaced it. Genuine, sincere, worry. "No." He meowed slowly, ears flicking upwards. "She did mention something about a place she liked to go to. It was somewhere she used to go to with her best friend."

The dark brown tabby paced, heart racing. "Who is her best friend? Who did she go there with? Where could it be? A tree? A hiding spot?" He began to list things randomly, heart pounding.

The white tom looked pained, as if he would say something but hated to say it.

"Maybe she's just gone off by herself." He meowed weakly, ears flattened against his head.

"No!" Tigerpaw slammed his paws down against the ground, raking his claws across the ice, it making a shrill shrieking noise that hurt ears. He didn't care how loud he was, how many of his clanmates he would awake. All he could think about was Firepaw. If she was safe. If she was okay. "I know this. She doesn't head off alone unless theres a reason."

Snowpaw bit his lip, gnawing at it, looking guilty. "You." He admitted, his voice tiny. "You were her best friend."

Tigerpaw's heart stopped.

Everything clicked into place.

Somewhere she would go to with her best friend? _Used to _go to? Of course! Tigerpaw almost knocked over the older apprentice in his desperate run out of the camp.

He wasn't sure how he knew something was wrong- but he did. Something in his heart felt uneasy. It was a forlorn feeling- like death. Something he hadn't felt since he was just a few days ago and he felt the icy clutches of death gripping at his heart. Terrified, he couldn't think straight.

Snowpaw raced after him, his paws kicking up a flurry of snow. "Why are you running? Where are you going?" He panted, ears twitching.

"This isn't something you have to do!" Tigerpaw shouted at Snowpaw. "She's hurt- and I have to find her. Not you, not Owlpaw, not Hollypaw, _me_. It has to be me! She has to forgive me!" Tigerpaw shook his head wildly. "You don't understand."

He was begging the older tom to understand. Firepaw was the only thing that could stop those nightmares. Those dreams. Those things he didn't want to be true- but he had a feeling they would happen. She quieted the dark whispers in his mind. The ones urging him to bloodlust and revenge. She was his light, in a completely black cave. She was his single sprout, in a completely frozen over world.

He didn't know why- but she was so crucial to him.

It wasn't just love- it was something more. As if they were connected somehow. The forlorn feeling in his heart never left, and he began to run faster.

"No." Snowpaw's voice was dead serious. "This isn't your fight." He sounded almost like he was in a trance.

Tigerpaw didn't know what it meant, but he kept running.

"Where are you going?" Snowpaw yelled after him. "I can help you to find her!" Thank StarClan, his voice had returned to normal.

"The… the…" Tigerpaw's mind was blank, and he wanted to scream in frustration. After a while of raking his claws across the ground, he remembered. "The mossy clearing!"

"Then you're going the wrong way!" Snowpaw yelled at him, eyes blinking hard against the bitter sting of the snow. "The mossy clearing is the other way!" Tigerpaw didn't know where it was, honestly. He was so panicked he couldn't tell right from left.

Taking a deep breath, he decided he would have to trust Snowpaw.

The dark brown tabby raced after him.

…

A slender black tom was dashing through the snow.

Previously, he was crouched in the crook of two branches, eyes narrowed as he focused on two broad-shouldered shapes in the snow. One was white, the other a dark brown color. They were shouting something. He didn't bother to listen, just wanted to follow them.

That was, until Tigerpaw screamed the destination.

The Mossy clearing.

Breezepelt knew where that was. Inadvertently, he thought about back when they were doing patrols around the territory with the Dark Forest cats, and they had arrived there.

Now he was running faster than ever before. He couldn't let down Thistleclaw again. He needed to kill Firepaw- and the fact that Tigerpaw was too late to help her would crush him. He closed his eyes- imagining he was an apprentice again, dashing through the rolling hills of WindClan territory. During an assessment. He pushed his paws hard against the ground, every stride taking him a few fox-lengths as he flew across the forest floor.

His senses showed him where to go, and he blinked open his eyes once more to focus on the trees and the brambles. Nothing could trip him up.

He didn't have much time before Tigerpaw would arrive.

Spotting the mossy clearing, he used his burst and dashed as fast as he could forward. His heart was aching and his lungs were screaming with agony, but he arrived.

He sniffed around- sure enough, the tang of blood was heavy in the air.

He couldn't spot her. He smelled her scent wafting through the air- along with the heavy metallic scent of blood. He wasn't even sure if she was alive.

Heart pumping, he raked his gaze across the clearing.

He had to find her.

He had to.

…

"Hurry up!" Tigerpaw was shouting over his shoulder as he dashed forward, praying nothing would trip him up. He was dashing forward as fast as he could possibly go. His heart was aching, the forlorn feeling feeling worse and worse every moment he was apart from her.

"I'm coming!" Snowpaw panted, running behind him.

They burst into the clearing. Tigerpaw searched around frantically for her. "Where is she?"

Silence.

Then a cry of horror from Snowpaw. He glanced around at the white tom, but he was gone as well. The white tom shouted out again, and Tigerpaw's eyes widened in confusion. He was so panicked he couldn't tell where the sound was coming from.

"Here!" Snowpaw kept screeching. "Here!"

Tigerpaw closed his eyes, pausing for a moment. His heart was beating so hard he felt as if he couldn't breathe. He forced himself to focus. Where was Snowpaw.

Then he raced, eyes still shut, towards the source of sound. He opened his eyes and felt twigs raking across his pelt. He grit his teeth, but pushed forward. In one side of the clearing, there was Firepaw.

Unfortunately, there were two toms there, staring at each other.

The ginger she-cat was lying limply on the ground, her flank rising and falling so slowly it was hard to tell if she were really alive.

"Breezepelt?" Snowpaw echoed in disbelief. "Are you trying to kill her?"

The tom looked crazed, baring his fangs at Snowpaw. "Shut up!" He snarled, then his eyes connected with Tigerpaw's. Smiling maniacally, he tipped his head back and laughed. "Tigerstar! Tigerstar, it's so good to see you again."

Tigerpaw's heart pounded so hard he feared his rib cage would break. He didn't dare say anything, glad that the black tom's attention was focused on him.

Snowpaw was slowly inching around Breezepelt, creeping towards Firepaw.

"It's okay. After I kill her- everything will be clear. You'll understand- I promise. You will forgive me. It's okay." Breezepelt meowed rapidly, his voice almost dizzying, speaking fast. "Tigerstar will live again."

Tigerpaw looked at Snowpaw through the corner of his eyes. Snowpaw was close enough to lunge over her now, and protect her. But Breezepelt was in the way.

The dark brown tom gave Snowpaw a little nod. The white tom's eyes flashed with determination.

"I'm not Tigerstar!" Tigerpaw shouted, deciding that to be a decent battle cry. Then he launched himself forward, long wicked claws unsheathed and slashing into the air. He smacked into Breezepelt, and the black tom fell backwards.

Then the fight was on.

Breezepelt was unbelievably skilled. He matched each of Tigerpaw's blows with a faster one of his own. His claws were unsheathed and occasionally he would jab forward, slicing at Tigerpaw's pelt. The dark brown tabby tom growled in frustration, trying to push him back.

He couldn't, however. He was just hoping he could distract Breezepelt long enough for Snowpaw to get Firepaw to safety. The dark brown tabby tom swallowed as he realized he was forced to trust the white tom. The tom who didn't love Firepaw like he did.

But he had no choice.

Twisting his body to avoid one of Breezepelt's attacks, he swerved his neck to the side and snapped his jaw, sinking his fangs into the black tom's shoulder. The tom didn't waste any time hissing in pain, just twisted and slammed his shoulder against the nearby tree. Probably the one Firepaw had fallen out of.

Unfortunately, that meant Tigerpaw's muzzle also slammed into the tree. Shrieking with agony, he fell backwards, clutching at his nose. He, just like Breezepelt, didn't have the time to care for his wounds. Immediately he was back on his paws, leaping forward, slashing at Breezepelt. It was a hopeless fight. The black tom was so much better than him.

Then something collided with Tigerpaw's side and he went flying. He smacked straight into a tree, groaning with agony as he crumpled down. He tasted blood in his mouth, and his vision was dotted with black. He could hardly see.

"Go, Tigerpaw." Something whispered in his ear.

He glanced up, only to see Snowpaw.

"I've got this. Firepaw is over there near the tree." His voice cracked. "Tell her- tell her I understand now, okay? All those messages, those whispers. I understand." His eyes glowed. "Tell her that when I first approached her, I really did want to make friends. It was only partly because the messages were so confusing. I'm to protect her. Him." His eyes were clear, and he looked determined. "StarClan will fight with me. We will fight to protect him. Firestar."

Then the white tom lunged at Breezepelt.

Tigerpaw scrambled to his paws, not waiting to understand what was happening. He dashed towards the forest, ignoring the pain exploding from his body, and he raced to the tree Snowpaw gestured at. He heard a roar from Breezepelt, a roar of pain.

Then an unfamiliar voice. A feminine one, and he thought he saw a flash of blue-gray back in the camp, accompanied by a soft glowing pelt with frost coated paws. He didn't pause to linger on it, just grabbed Firepaw by the scruff. He was dragging her across the ground.

He didn't know how long he dragged her, but he felt a boost of energy in him. He yanked her across logs, everywhere. He was running as he dragged her, mind whirling and eyes blurring. What was going on?

It seemed like yesterday- it was just an average day. Now there were StarClan warriors, and guardians, and Firestar and Tigerstar and the Dark Forest cats. Everything flipped upside down. And there was no warning whatsoever.

Tigerpaw felt panic begin to cloud his mind, but he kept dragging her. There was one thing on his mind.

Get Firepaw to safety.

He didn't care that his paw was probably broken. He would just walk on three legs. He didn't care that his flank was sliced up, he would just grit his teeth. Firepaw was the only thing that mattered- and he had to save her.

He heard a screech from the forest, a screech so horrifying, he felt like he wanted to wail.

He continued, knowing there wasn't much time now.

Then he reached the camp, and he didn't think of anything else to do. He brought Firepaw in with him.

So he howled, panicking and just wanting to feel safe.

"Mom! Dad!" He yowled at the top of his lungs.

Where was Snowpaw? Would Firepaw be okay? All the thoughts and worries buzzed in his mind. He felt dizzy, and he heard a surprised meow.

Then he hit the ground and collapsed next to Firepaw.

Together.

Just as he knew they were meant to be.


	17. Sixteen

_Waow. That was a looonnng chapter. xD Anyway, thanks for all of the reviews, favs, and follows :) I can't believe we are at 170 reviews, 37 favs and 54 follows already! :O_

_Anyway, as I promised yesterday- we will get to see the view of different cats. Squirrelflight, Owlpaw, Amberpaw (Snowpaw's sister), and Snowpaw. There will be a lot of explaining from Squirrel, Owl, and Snow's P.O.V. so try and pay attention to those :P Anyway, I tried to make it sound like they were grieving an appropriate amount, but if they aren't- then oh well. At least I tried. :D_

**_Review Replies:_**

**_Amberflame805: _**_Haha, yeah he did. I think it may have been a little OOC, but it fit with the plot line so I was like, hm, okay._

**_So Cheesy:_**_ Yeah, it's going to be intense for a while, then it'll calm down a bit, then be intense again. I guess. :D_

**_Potatotheumbreon:_**_ Nice name. I like umbreons too. They're adorable. Also, Snowpaw will be written about in this chapter :D You'll see what happened to him, and why he decided to do what he did._

**_Stream that Flows Around Rock: _**_Haha, you were correct. :D But he wasn't really StarClan's chosen one- I just made them choose him I always thought he seemed the most kind/determined of the three. Idk why._

**_Lucky333123: _**_Thanks :D_

**_SleepyGhosty: _**_Yep. Things are starting to get complicated. :D The screech was quite blood-curdling, I agree. Also, yep, the 'Owlpaw's thoughts on manipulation' thing will finally be explained in this chapter, but you may think it's a little ridiculous. Owlpaw's just a very jealous kitty. D:_

_**Cookie Platter: **__Haha, thanks. :) Here's the next update._

**_QLKwriter:_**_ Thank you! :D _

**_Lazy Watermelon:_**_ Lol, thanks. :D That chapter was very intense._

**_kate23816: _**_I guess we will have to wait until Firepaw wakes up! :D (Breezepelt caused a loot of damage)_

**_Coralstorm:_**_ I see it as Coralstorm on my screen:) Thank you! :D Also, you should do your fanfiction for it if you want to. :D_

**_Slightly Disturbed Cookie Girl: _**_Lol dayum. xD _

**_Stealthfire:_** _Unfortunately, Firepaw is too important to die right now, so she won't. D: (maybe she'll die later, maybe not. :O)_

**_Molly:_** _Here's the next chapter! :) Thank you._

**_Warrior Fan:_**_ Don't die! This chapter took quite a while to write, because I've been pretty busy these days and this chapter explained a lot. So, here it is. :)_

**_Bobbie1776:_**_ Thank you so much! :D Here is the next chapter._

_..._

Squirrelflight swore her heart had fallen out of her chest that day. Awakened by a heart-shattering, piercing scream in the clearing. Desperation, terror, and raw agony- all clear in that one scream. That one noise.

So the ginger she-cat had ran out of the warrior's den, along with almost the whole camp. There- in the clearing, two mangled, torn, bloody bodies. At first she couldn't see the rising and falling of the flanks- which made her almost stop breathing, but to her great relief she could see the breathing.

Unknown to her, one of those two bodies had been her very own daughter. She had pushed out of the group of cats, mind whirling, eyes horrified. Who could have done this? Was ThunderClan under attack? Who were those two attacks?

Then the recognition.

A slender gray she-cat was staring at them, and then she screamed as well. Her scream was out of utter, and sheer terror. The terror only a mother would have for her kit. "Tigerpaw!" She was screaming. Her voice kept repeating itself, her agony and love so strong it almost overwhelmed the ginger queen. Then the gray she-cat had crumpled, her mate still shell-locked as he stared dully at his half-dead son.

Then her very own mate, Bramblestar, had padded over to the scene where so many cats were gathered. The medicine cats were panicked, gathering herbs near them. Then she heard a shout.

Then a name.

"Firepaw!"

That was when Squirrelflight, truly, stopped breathing altogether. She doubled over, feeling bile rising in her throat. No… no. It couldn't be Firepaw. Then came the pain. The scorching agony clutching her heart in ice-cold jaws. The icy claws raking down her spine. After that, came the crying. The tears sprung to her eyes, and her vision was so blurred she couldn't even see.

What else was she to do? She dashed towards the two bodies again, feeling as if whatever was left of her heart was ready to break. Her lungs were screaming as they told her to breathe, but she felt as if she were suffocated. It couldn't be possible.

She shouldered cats out of the way in her desperate attempt to reach her body. As soon as she saw it clearer, the beautiful ginger fur, the soft, still young features carved delicately onto her beautiful face… Squirrelflight crumpled. She was lying down then.

The ginger queen did not differ from Cinderheart.

Both of their screams and cries and wails were so wretched and pained, it was horrid to listen to. Squirrelflight felt as if she had left her own body, just bowing over the two bodies, eyes filled with tears and her heart in pain. It hurt so much- she couldn't even describe it.

She was numb. But the pain was so strong it broke past her numbness.

All she could feel was regret. Washing over her, wave by wave. Regret. Why had she let herself get so withdrawn from her daughter. The horrible memory surfaced in her mind.

_"Firekit!" Squirrelflight purred, eyes glowing with affection. "What have you and your friends been up to today?" The ginger she-kit tottered over, looking tired._

_She curled up beside Squirrelflight. "I don't know." She meowed sleepily, wrapping her tail around her nose. "I'm gonna take a nap." With that, the cute young kit was asleep, her chest rising and falling peacefully._

_Call it mother's intuition- but that left Squirrelflight rather worried. Usually kits didn't tire so easily, especially not at the already almost-apprentice age of four moons. She pressed some moss next to her young daughter and slipped out of the nursery, padding to go find her sister in the medicine cat's den._

_The light brown tabby was shuffling through herbs when her sister found her. Her eyes were warm with welcome as she acknowledged her littermate's presence, lifting her head. "Hey, Squirrelflight." She greeted cheerily, ears twitching._

_She was cheerful._

_Why wouldn't she be? It was a lovely day- especially rare and special due to the harsh coldness of leaf-bare._

_But Squirrelflight just felt as if something were wrong._

_"I'm worried about Firekit." She confessed, green pools swimming with concern. "She decided to take a nap- it was so sudden. Usually she has so many things to say. She's my more energetic one. Owlkit is usually the more timid one."_

_Leafpool's ear twitched, and as she lifted her head she looked slightly amused. "Squirrelflight," She chided her sister, ears twitching. "They're just kits. Don't worry so much." _

_The ginger she-cat shifted her weight uneasily. "I don't know…" She trailed off, ears flattening against her head. "I just feel as if something isn't right."_

_"It's just been one time!" Leafpool exclaimed, looking amused._

_"No… it hasn't." Squirrelflight confessed. "Firekit often has difficulty sleeping at night- she's always awake. Not only that, but she is very tired a lot and takes many naps during the day. Her sleeping habit is unhealthy."_

_Leafpool sighed softly, brushing her muzzle against her sister's. "You need to relax." She meowed, flicking her sister's pelt. "I'm sure she just has some things on her mind."_

_Squirrelflight snapped._

_"What?" Squirrelflight snapped at her sister, irritated. "What could be on her mind?" She lashed her tail, exasperated and agitated at the same time. "She is four moons for StarClan's sake! What could possibly be on her mind? I'm just asking you to check over her!"_

_Leafpool didn't look the least bothered by her sister's outburst. She was, in fact, used to it by now. Twitching an ear, she padded forward. "Alright then, sister." She meowed, looking as if she were exasperated. "Let us go check on your kit." _

_Squirrelflight padded after her sister, not feeling sorry at all._

_As they entered the nursery, Firekit hadn't stirred. Only when Leafpool softly nudged her with a paw did the fiery ginger she-cat blink open her sleepy green orbs._

_"W-what?" She murmured, squirming away from the prodding that was disturbing her sleep. "Whats wrong? Why are you here, Leafpool?"_

_"Don't worry, Firekit." Leafpool reassured her, eyes warm as she looked kindly at the kit. "I'm just here to do a quick check-up on you. Don't worry about it."_

_Firekit blinked once, but nodded. "Okay." She meowed._

_Leafpool gently pressed her paw on the little kit's chest, feeling the rising and falling of her flank. Squirrelflight waited anxiously._

_Her heart dropped as she saw the look on the petite brown she-cat's face._

_Leafpool looked worried._

_Genuinely worried._

_The light brown tabby then asked the kit to roll over and did some more exams, but Squirrelflight could hardly focus- the worry in her heart was too strong._

_Something touched her shoulder lightly. Leafpool frowned and angled her ears towards the exit of the nursery. Immediately, the ginger she-cat shot to her paws and padded after her sister, pinning her ears against her head._

_"Whats wrong?" Squirrelflight meowed, voice low so that her daughter couldn't hear._

_Leafpool looked worried. "There's something unusual about her heart." She whispered, eyes round._

_"What?" The ginger she-cat meowed in astonishment. That was far from what she had expected. "Her heart? Why her heart?" _

_"I don't know how long it's going to take… but she doesn't have long." Leafpool meowed, looking miserable. "I'm sorry."_

_"What do you mean she doesn't have long?" Squirrelflight meowed, struggling to keep her voice from turning into a shout. "What's going to happen to her?"_

_The light brown she-cat flattened her ears against her head. "I'm not sure. I just know theres something wrong with her heart. It doesn't beat properly. I… I think it might just stop one day."_

_That was an awful, awful day._

_The day Squirrelflight stared miserably at her daughter._

_It sucked. She knew the fate of her daughter- but she couldn't change it._

_"We must never tell her." Squirrelflight meowed hoarsely, her voice harsh. "Never."_

_Leafpool opened her jaws in protest, eyes wide. "What do you mean? You have to tell her!"_

_"No!" Squirrelflight meowed harshly, eyes narrowing. "Let her live her life without this burden on her shoulders."_

_"How are you going to prevent yourself from telling her?" Leafpool blinked her amber eyes, looking confused._

_Squirrelflight's heart twisted in her chest. She didn't know. The only way she could think of to prevent accidentally telling her daughter, was never talking to her daughter._

_She felt as if she couldn't breathe._

It was the worst decision of her life. Squirrelflight lowered her head in shame, eyes closing as she lay beside her daughter. She was vaguely aware of Leafpool's shouting, but everything was blurred. She felt a soft pelt brush hers and immediately knew it was Bramblestar.

"She's going to be okay." He whispered to her, voice sounding shaky. "She's strong."

…

Owlpaw was crouched at the edge of the clearing, her amber eyes narrowed. She watched Squirrelflight, her mother, cry and collapse beside the ginger-furred shape in the clearing.

"What?" She meowed to herself, bewildered.

Was Firepaw making this up to just get attention?

She had always thought her mother hated Firepaw, because the ginger she-cat had deceived her that one time. When Firepaw's chest began hurting suddenly back when they were kits, and Squirrelflight had full-on panicked. However, after a long day of fussing, Firepaw was okay.

Owlpaw always thought her sister made that up for attention.

Like the time her sister had faked being ill and scared Squirrelflight half to death. Or the time that, back then, Firekit had put fire ants in Tigerkit's nest and blamed it on Owlpaw- causing both of her parents to get angry. The dark tabby seethed- her sister was always manipulating her parents.

She was just glad Squirrelflight finally opened her eyes and realized what a sick, twisted, cat her own daughter was. She had finally decided to ignore Firepaw. At least- for a while. Until now.

Her sister was always making things up for attention.

But this felt like more than that.

The dark brown she-cat wasn't sure how she felt about the situation.

One side of her was feeling wretched with guilt, horror and misery and grief swirling inside of it. The other part of her was emotionless- too shocked to feel anything.

She walked numbly over to her sister, ears flattened against her head. She sat there, sitting silently, watching Jayfeather and Leafpool work. They each took an apprentice. Leafpool was taking care of Firepaw, while Jayfeather was taking care of Tigerpaw. They didn't dare to move them in fear of their wounds opening up.

Owlpaw's heart twisted as she saw Tigerpaw. His beautiful face now had a deep gash down his muzzle. Many more scars marked his flank and his pelt, a few tufts of fur torn out. His paw was curved at an awkward angle.

Then her gaze flickered over to her sister.

Owlpaw looked enviously over at her. Her sister had such soft, beautiful ginger fur to accompany her slender frame. Her orange underbelly just made her ginger fur seem more fiery colored. She had also beautiful emerald eyes to go along with everything else. Firepaw passed all her assessments so easily.

It just wasn't fair.

However, Firepaw was her sister. And Owlpaw cared about her. The dark brown tabby she-cat padded miserably to her parent's side, where Bramblestar quickly wrapped his tail around her.

Owlpaw looked up- seeing the other shaken family. Lionblaze was crouched protectively beside Tigerpaw and Cinderheart, and Hollypaw and Spottedpaw looked shaken and were crying into their mother's fur.

For some reason, Owlpaw noticed a gray-and-white furred she-cat exchanged worried glances with her brother, a dark gray tom. They padded over to the apprentice's den.

A gray-and-white head popped out a heartbeat later, a grim expression on her face. Her brother's dark gray fur was bristling as he stepped out, looking thoroughly shaken.

"Where's Snowpaw?" They both demanded.

…

"Snowpaw!" A pale gray-and-white she-cat screamed as she dashed along the forest, following the strong scent of her brother. A patrol was running beside her, some faster, some slower. Determination was powering her limbs as she wondered desperately where he could be.

Her breath caught in her throat as she smelled the strong, metallic scent of… blood. Fighting back the tears threatening to spill, she pushed forward, ears flattened in determination. "No." She meowed to herself softly, reassuring herself. "He can't be dead. We're almost warriors."

Bramblestar had insisted on going on the patrol, but Amberpaw could see the worry in his eyes as his daughter's injuries were still lingering in his mind. The muscular tom stepped forward, claws unsheathed, muscles rippling, ready to attack.

Amberpaw stepped after him.

Her eyes widened.

She screamed.

"Snowpaw!" She howled in grief, almost tripping over her own paws as she dashed towards him, tripping and stumbling and trying not to fall. His soft, fluffy fur was matted and sticky with blood. His claws were tainted crimson, many of them broken and chipped. His pelt was covered in wounds, and his eyes were half-open, the beautiful amber color glazed as it stared lifelessly at the sky.

Her brother, a dark gray tom, caught up with her. "Amberpaw." He muttered, drawing his sister closer to him. Amberpaw slashed at her brother, kicking away from him as she crouched protectively beside her brother. She shook her head wildly. This all had to be a dream. "Amberpaw… we can't do anything. Snowpaw's gone." He sounded choked as he spoke.

She fixed her brother in an angry glare. However, her anger quickly gave way to misery. She was aware of the other cats on the patrol; Whitewing, Ivypool, Spiderleg and Bramblestar. Ivypool let out a strangled cry at her dead apprentice, and Whitewing crumpled at the sight of her dead younger brother.

"He wasn't even a warrior." Whitewing whispered, looking sadly at her brother's body.

Ivypool bowed her head in respect and misery. "He deserved to be a warrior. He had true warrior's spirit- and he was always a very lively and enthusiastic tom."

"It's too late to give him his warrior name." Bramblestar meowed, sounding depressed. Three apprentices of his clan hurt in one day. Two of them's lives were in the paws of StarClan, one was already _in _StarClan.

Spiderleg's eyes widened as he pressed his paw to the chest of Snowpaw. "It's not." He whispered. "There's the faintest heartbeat, and I doubt he's conscious, but he's alive."

Bramblestar's eyes widened.

They all knew it was too late to hope for life, but perhaps there could be a warrior's name in StarClan.

"I ask my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has learned the warrior code and given up his life in the service of his clan. Let StarClan receive him as a warrior. Snowpaw will be known as Snowheart, for his bravery and determination." Bramblestar meowed, leaning his head back.

The patrol's voices weren't too strong- but they were enough.

"Snowheart, Snowheart, Snowheart!" They chanted softly.

…

Blackness.

That's all that there was.

At least, for a while.

Silver lights began to blur with the blackness, the colors swiftly changing from black to gray to pale gray and then to a flash of blinding white.

He squeezed his eyelids shut, cringing at the sudden brightness that he was exposed to.

What was going on?

He could hardly remember anything.

Only bits and pieces.

_"Bluestar!" He echoed, his amber eyes wide with awe._

_The blue-furred she-cat smiled softly at him, not at all surprised that he recognized her. After all- she was the one who kept appearing in his dreams, wasn't she. "I'm sorry, Snowpaw." Was all he needed to hear before he realized with a sinking heart, that he wasn't going to make it._

_No time to wallow in his self-pity._

_Snowpaw fought back the tears in his eyes, and he clenched his jaw. "Let's protect Firestar." He muttered, unable to utter any other words. _

_The black tom was standing before them, eyes wide in surprise. He was staring, eyes cold, at the blue she-cat who had appeared at the white tom's side. Together, the two cats, lunged at him._

_Breezepelt fought like a rogue. They fought like true warriors. _

_The white tom aimed a blow at the side of the black tom's head as he was distracted by Bluestar, and he heard a meow of pain as his claws connected with flesh. _

_Everything was a blur._

_It all went by so fast._

_All he could feel was adrenaline pumping through him._

_The heat of the battle. _

Snowpaw's eyes narrowed as he lowered his gaze. Everything was still blurry, mottled with white and gray, but shapes were beginning to form. He saw the slender outline of a she-cat before him, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her eyes were sympathetic, however.

He hated the sympathy in her eyes.

The white-furred tom looked away for a moment, his gaze fixated on his paws. His heart was still twisting in his chest, and he wanted to wail in despair. Why- why was he chosen? He wanted to live! Miserably, the white tom thought of the cat he had died for with an aching heart.

She was beautiful in every way.

But he didn't get a chance to really fall in love before he was forced to sacrifice himself for her.

It just wasn't fair.

A paw gently nudged his pelt, and sighing he lifted himself off of the ground.

_"Snowpaw, you mouse-brain!" Firepaw laughed, her pretty emerald eyes glowing with amusement. She was bouncing around in the snow, kicking up flurries of snow that were flung at the older apprentice's face._

_He rolled his eyes. "I'm the mouse-brain?" He scoffed, dodging yet another flurry of snow aimed at him. "I've been dodging the snow you've been kicking up all day. A mouse-brain would've just sat there and, fallen over, or something."_

_Coincidentally, the fiery furred she-cat slipped on the ground just then and hit the ground with a heavy thud._

_Peals of laughter erupted from the white tom's mouth, as his eyes glowed with amusement. He couldn't help it- it was amusing to watch her. Someone so well-balanced but so not, at the same time._

_After she didn't get up, he began to feel a sliver of worry._

_"Firepaw, are you alright?" He meowed worriedly, bending down so he could get a closer look. He peered at her pelt- there seemed to be no blood or anything. But why was she so silent. "Firepaw?" He bent all the way over her._

_Suddenly paws connected with his stomach, and he let out a squeal of shock. He tumbled over himself and then the pretty ginger was standing above him, eyes twinkling with amusement, mouth open as she giggled hysterically. She seemed so utterly and completely amused with herself for thinking of this._

_"Ridiculous." He meowed, sounding mock-annoyed. He got into a low crouch, waggling his hind-paws. "Come and fight me like this?" He teased. "I bet you'd lose."_

_The ginger she-cat didn't look offended or scared, just dropped into a low crouch. A grin crept onto her face. "I'm willing to take that bet!" _

_With that, she sprung at him, her muzzle curled into a happy, carefree, smile._

As he lifted his head, he saw the face of the cat that had come to fetch him. She had kind amber eyes and a sleek tortoiseshell pelt. He would recognize her anywhere!

"Sorreltail?" He echoed in disbelief, ears twitching. "You… you were the one who came to fetch me?"

His heart hurt at his own words. 'You were the one who came to fetch me.' To fetch me to StarClan. The place where the dead, however very honored, but still dead, cats were. A dead cat. Something he, now, was as well. He flattened his ears at his thoughts, feeling miserable again.

She blinked warmly at him. "It's not all bad." She meowed, looking sympathetic. "I know you had a lot of life left to live, but up here we are all happy too."

The words didn't help cheer him up. He lowered his gaze and muzzle, thinking of ThunderClan. He thought of his sisters, Amberpaw and Whitewing, his brother, Dewpaw, and his parents, Cloudtail and Brightheart. Would his father even come to StarClan? Would he honestly never see his father again?

Worries buzzed through him.

Sorreltail flicked him lightly with her tail as she padded forward, paws light on the ground. "Follow me." Was all she said, as if she could tell his discomfort from her attempts to try and cheer him up.

_Oh, StarClan. _He thought worriedly. _Had ThunderClan found my body? _He knew Breezepelt had killed him. He knew Bluestar had killed Breezepelt.

A life for a life.

It was like a trade.

Snowpaw felt miserable once again. It just wasn't fair. Now that the fight was over, he had the time to wallow in his own self-pity. He wanted to turn away and run far away from this place and perhaps find a place back into the living world.

But he knew he couldn't, so he followed Sorreltail anyway.

It was his destiny to die like this.

_"I don't understand…" Snowpaw whispered, standing alone in the forest. He could feel voices shouting at him in his head, presences brushing past him, eyes staring at his pelt. But he couldn't see any of them. "I don't understand!"_

_"You must save him…" Something rasped in his mind, and the white tom could picture the dark eyes to accompany it. "You must! You must!"_

_The tom stumbled away, terrified. "What is happening to me?" He cried out in despair._

_Then everything was quiet._

_A single blue-furred she-cat appeared in front of him, her blue eyes understanding and filled with wisdom. "Snowpaw." She meowed his name, beckoning him forward. _

_He stared at her, completely shocked._

_"My name is Bluestar. I was the ThunderClan leader before Firestar." She meowed softly to him, ears twitching. Her eyes were warm as she looked at him. "Snowpaw, you have a special destiny."_

_The tom half-bowed before the she-cat, looking embarrassed not to recognize such a famous and important leader in the history of his clan. His amber eyes were fixed on her as he wondered, "What special destiny?"_

_She smiled softly. "You will be the savior of Firestar." She promised him. _

_"What do you mean?" The white tom meowed, tilting his head to the side, completely bewildered. "Firestar isn't…" Looking awkward, he coughed, "isn't with us anymore."_

_Her eyes glinted. "He's closer than you think."_

_"How will I save him?" Snowpaw pressed, white fur bristling in determination. This was a special destiny- and after he fulfilled it he would be a warrior. An honored and respected warrior of his clan._

_Bluestar's eyes darkened, and she looked away. "You'll know what to do when the time comes." She whispered._

_"What do you mean?" Snowpaw demanded._

_He didn't get a reply._

_Then he was falling._

"I understand." Snowpaw meowed, sounding choked, as he padded after Sorreltail. They padded for a while along a path before they entered a lush green forest, with more scents of flowers and prey than he had ever smelled before.

His eyes widened in awe, "It's beautiful!"

Sorreltail turned her head around to look at him, "I told you it wasn't that bad." Then she bounded forward, leaping across a small stream that was full and clear, with many fish swimming in it.

As they arrived, Snowpaw saw many familiar faces. "Ferncloud!" He gasped as he saw the pale gray she-cat. She nodded in acknowledgement, smiling kindly. A brown-furred she-cat looked at him, and he blinked in recognition. "Mousefur!"

He stumbled backwards in surprise, and as he turned around he noticed he had walked smack-dab into a blue-furred she-cat. She blinked kindly down at him. "Hello." She meowed softly.

His eyes darkened and he lowered his gaze.

It wasn't fair.

He lifted his head up again, and swept it across the beautiful clearing. The trees were tall, with beautiful soft green leaves that were rustling softly in the warm breeze. Multicolored lowers were swaying, their petals dancing in the wind as they were softly pulled off, the sweet aroma of them filling the air. As he opened his jaws, he could taste the deliciousness of vole, shrew, squirrel, and many more scents flooding his jaws.

There was no metallic tinge of blood in the air. Nor was there the icy coldness of leaf-bare.

He decided it would be alright.

"Welcome, Snow_heart_." Sorreltail meowed. The rest of the cat's he knew previously's voices chimed in, until the many voices all became one, chanting his name.

The white tom's eyes widened.

Snowheart?

He had gotten his warrior name.

His heart swelled with pride and he fought back the tears of joy as he smiled, slightly in a daze.

Snowheart lifted his head, shaking off his daze, and fixed the previous ThunderClan leader in an understanding gaze. "Thank you." He whispered. "I'm honored to be here."


	18. Seventeen: Fire

_Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! :) This is the next chapter of the story~ Set from Firepaw's P.O.V, and it is kind of a not very exciting chapter where they just recover. However the ending is pretty important because it will play a big part in the future chapters. Anyway, here it is, I hope you enjoy~:)_

_Review Replies:_

_**Leafstorm of FireClan**__: Thank you so much! :) Sometimes I think there isn't enough setting description, and thats something I always struggle with. : But it means a lot that you think I have good description._

_**Stuffed Watermelon**__: Yeah, it hit Squirrelflight pretty hard. A heart disorder in your own kit, it's like a really heavy burden to carry, and would be difficult for Firepaw to carry it herself. Also, maybe, maybe. I don't know if I should make it so Owlpaw knows or not. :D_

_**Lawsonsog:**__ They've only been apprentices for a moon and 3/4. 0_0 They aren't ready to become warriors yet, lol. :) Also, if you are talking about Amber/Dew, then they will be receiving their warrior names soon. Also, Squirrelflight received pretty awful news about her daughter, and she sort of panicked, and didn't really go about it the right way. But she had the reason of it- because she wanted her daughter to live her life without the constant fear, "Will I be wake up tomorrow morning?"_

_**Slightly Disturbed Cookie Girl**__: Yep. :D -cheers-_

_**Cookie Platter:**__ :D yay! -cheers-_

_**7Annabelle43:**__ Oh, yeah! Looking back on it, I realized that it really does, lol. I never meant for it to be so much like Feathertail, but I needed to kill someone off in that fight with Breezepelt, otherwise I think it would've been too unrealistic. It couldn't have been Tigerpaw, so it had to be Snowpaw, and so I had to think something up that related to the previous chapters. .__

_**QLKwriter:**__ Oh. :0 SnowxOwl? Well, thats an interesting ship lol. Owlpaw was obsessed (unhealthily so) about Tigerpaw, and Snowpaw was sort of detached from the younger apprentices before Firepaw, so I had never thought of a Snowpaw & Owlpaw relationship. xD_

_**Amberflame805:**__ Aw, thank you so much! :) I tried to make it sound as detailed/realistic as I could, actually. I wasn't really sure how a mother would react to her child/kit/whatever dying, so I was hoping it wouldn't seem too unrealistic. Lol._

_**Scarletpool**__: Omg. D: Don't cry! Also, thank you so much! That means a lot to me! :O Also, your OC seems great, but the only thing is I can't add it to a FirexTiger litter. I wanna explain more, but if I do, it would spoil like, wayy too much. Dx Anyway, if you want her to be part of Cherryfall's litter/another queen's litter and Firepaw/Tigerpaw to have a good friendship with her, thats cool, I can add her in. :)_

_**Skyfur02**__: Thank you so much! :D The ending was nice, yeah. I actually originally planned it to be the clan chanting Snowheart's name AFTER the Snowpaw/heart P.O.V, but I was like... wait, how can he get his warrior name if he's already in StarClan? So I had to edit it and make it so that he receives his name before he dies._

_**Guest:**__ Thank you! :)_

_**Moonshine57**__: Thank you so much! I'm glad you think my story is interesting. :D Anyway, thank you for the warrior names, and I especially like Dewfrost/Owlflight or Owlfeather. _

_**Stream that Flows Around Rock:**__ Well, I'm not going to reveal anything about Firepaw- I don't want to spoil anything. :D Also, yeah. Owlpaw is kind of... not right in the head. But can you blame her? Her sister is 1. prettier than her, 2. HER crush likes Firepaw, 3. looks exactly like Firestar and is named after him._

_**Bobbie1776:**__ Aww ): I know, it's sad that Firepaw has heart problems. But I figured that being reborn into your daughter's litter ought to have it's weird side-affects, so I decided to give Firepaw the heart problem._

_**EmberskyOfShadowClan:**__ Yeah, I chose Snowheart because Idk, I feel as if 'heart' is always chosen when a warrior dies of bravery or something, lol. Also, the heart problem is life-threatening (and since it's a disability, it's incurable.), but for now she's okay._

_**Amberpool**__: Thank you! Also, yeah, Snowpaw was a really nice cat. ): But Owlpaw isn't really spoiled... she's just really jealous, lol._

_**Birdflame:**__ Lol, yeah. I didn't intend for it to sound amusing, but now when I read it I feel amused. Also, I'm glad you like it. :)_

_**Coralstorm:**__ I had to kill of somebody, because it would have been too unrealistic. ): Sorry! Also, it was Breezepelt who had attacked. Breeze vs Fire, was BEFORE Tigerpaw & Snowpaw. Then Snowpaw had to go take care off Firepaw, so Breeze fought Tiger. Then they switched, and Bluestar came and helped Snowpaw defeat Breezepelt- at the cost of his life. Pretty sad. Also, about your fanfiction account, I'm pretty sure on the top right corner theres a button that says Sign Up- just click it and I think you will be able to get an account._

_**kate23816**__: Yeah, :D Squirrelflight doesn't hate Firepaw. Also, will Firepaw forgive Tigerpaw? (If I were Firepaw, I would. I mean, he saved her life. Lol.)_

_**Pepperpelt:**__ Haha. :D Don't cry! Also, thank you!_

_**Frostfall37:**__ Thank you so much! :D I tried to make the chapter as touching and stuff as I could. This chapter is going to be a lot less eventful, I'm afraid._

_**bob jones:**__ Yep! :D His littermates will be getting theirs soon as well. _

_Wow. That was a lot of review replies, lol. xD_

* * *

><p>"Tigerpaw, please find me."<p>

Blackness was all that surrounded the young she-cat's vision, but in her ears a single statement echoed. She felt as if she were trapped in a floating, timeless orb of blackness, where the single statement echoed repeatedly.

There was a single light at the end of the blackness, where sound was coming from.

But it was a different sound.

It was her name.

"Firepaw!" It whispered to her, its voice worried and frantic. "Firepaw, are you awake?"

For a heartbeat, the ginger she-cat thought it sounded quite similar to her mother's own voice. Deciding it to be a good idea, she heaved herself onto her paws. As soon as she touched the ground with her paws, her knees buckled and she crumpled down, letting out a faint mew of pain. Walking felt so odd. She wasn't sure how long she was just there- drifting in the black world of unconsciousness, just lying there and resting.

She felt rejuvenated, but the she-cat wasn't sure her muscles were quite used to walking again. So she pressed her paw tentatively to the ground, picked herself up again and padded wobbly over to the light. It was bright- just like the sun's strong rays.

_…_

"She's waking up!" Squirrelflight whispered, sounding relieved.

Her daughter's eyelids flickered open for a heartbeat, showing the beautiful emerald orbs beneath. Then they fluttered shut. Her paws were twitching as if she were in a dream.

A dark brown tom let out a rasping noise as he pushed himself into an upright position. His pale amber eyes brightened as he spotted Firepaw's movement. "Is she going to be okay?" He rasped, his voice hoarse and his eyes pelt bristling slightly.

"You're talking!" Cinderheart meowed in astonishment to her son, eyes wide. Tigerpaw had only woken up the sunrise before, but he hadn't bothered to talk. He just looked around- smiled for a bit, before collapsing back down and his eyes squeezing shut. He seemed relieved that he was alive. The purr rumbling in the gray she-cat's voice as she looked at her son was loud and filled with affection.

"Yeah." Tigerpaw blinked, but his voice was still hoarse. He held up one paw and waved it around slightly, looking relieved as though he had expected it to hurt. "I'm talking and awake."

The ginger queen crouched down protectively besides her daughter, gently twining tails with her daughter's matching one. "Now it's your turn." She whispered, eyes glowing with hope and determination.

…

As Firepaw padded forward, she almost felt a twinge of regret. Did she really want to leave this state? It was so comfortable… so relaxing… so black. She had no worries here- no fear, no panic. But there was also no love.

Did Tigerpaw really find her? What were her parents' reactions? What about Owlpaw? Hollypaw? Spottedpaw? Did Leafpool care? Did Tigerpaw care? Did Snowpaw care?

Questions were buzzing around her head as she slowly began to drift towards consciousness. Every step she took was one step closer, until she stepped off what seemed to be a platform and just began to fall.

Her mouth widened in a scream of terror as she plummeted down.

"Firepaw! You're awake!" Those were the first three words that had greeted her, when the ginger she-cat finally pulled out of her unconscious state and welcomed herself back to the waking world.

Firepaw didn't try to talk, but she forced her vision to focus. She saw a blurry ginger shape above her with two glowing green eyes. Huh. She blinked hard and focused on those green eyes, waiting as her world slowly sharpened around her, her vision clearing.

What she saw made her open and close her mouth in shock. A ginger queen was crouched beside her, leaning over her. To her surprise, it was Squirrelflight! She flicked her tail, as if asking why, but her mother was so busy sobbing with relief to even notice.

The ginger she-cat was crying, her tears rolling down her cheeks as she stared lovingly down at her daughter. "You're okay! My precious kit…" She mewled, looking so relieved it made Firepaw feel surprised, warm and also happy at the same time.

The ginger she-cat grinned from side to side, however.

If she was here, that meant Tigerpaw had found her. Or somebody had found her. That meant they cared! They all cared about her! She smiled widely at her mother, and swept her gaze across the medicine cat's den.

"You're awake!" Cinderheart purred, her blue gaze meeting Firepaw's.

For a heartbeat- the ginger she-cat was confused. Why was Cinderheart here?

Then she saw Tigerpaw.

Sucking in a gasp, her gaze raked over his pelt. It was covered in cobwebs and herb poultices, looking ruffled and matted with some dry blood. There was a particularly nasty scratch on his muzzle, and since a lot of fur was missing on his muzzle, she could see the skin. It was an awful purple-red color. She shuddered.

As she tried to speak, her voice caught in her throat. What could she say to him? To the tom she had ignored, and bullied, and told him that she hated him multiple times? Yet, the tom who had risked his life to save her?

"Tigerpaw." She croaked, ears flattened against her head. She decided that saying his name would be a decent way to get his attention.

The dark brown tom looked hesitant, and then he didn't. His eyes glowed as he looked kindly at her. "Yes?" He meowed lightly, but he looked hesitant as he spoke.

"Did you… did you find me?" Firepaw meowed slowly, dragging herself upwards. She strained out from her nest, desperate to reach towards the dark brown tom.

She saw alarm flash in her mother's eyes, and the medicine cat's, at her movements.

Tigerpaw looked slightly uneasy. "I found you." He meowed, but his voice was taut. His gaze flickered between the two medicine cat's, and simultaneously they both shook their heads, as if saying no to a silent question. "I found you." Tigerpaw repeated, cracking a smile.

Firepaw decided to ignore the uneasiness in his words, and she pulled herself across her nest and towards him. She had full mobility in all her paws, but every movement hurt so much it took her breath away. She reached forward and buried her muzzle in his fur, choking on her own gratitude.

"Thank you." She choked out.

She felt him tense at her touch, then he relaxed slightly, and curled his tail protectively around her side. "No problem." Was all he meowed, but his eyes didn't meet hers.

Squirrelflight was looking at the two, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

The ginger she-cat decided that if for some reason that she would have to ask about later, Squirrelflight decided to care about her, then she would probably care about who she hung out with. Firepaw dismissed the thought.

What she didn't know was that Squirrelflight was actually suspicious of Tigerpaw- wondering if he, himself, was the tom behind the injuries on the poor ginger she-cat's body.

Which he wasn't.

But only him and Snowheart really knew that. And Snowheart was dead.

Firepaw would never doubt him- but she had no solid proof, being unconscious the whole time.

"I'm sorry." Firepaw blurted out, her thoughts breaking off from wondering why her mother looked so suspicious. "I didn't- I wasn't, thinking straight." It hurt for her to talk so much, her lungs hurting. She didn't examine herself, and she wasn't sure if she really wanted to.

"Firepaw…" Tigerpaw meowed anxiously. "I think you should rest." He had evaded her gaze for the whole conversation, and Firepaw felt a thorn-sharp stab of pain in her chest.

"Tigerpaw's right." Leafpool meowed immediately, butting into the conversation. She fussed over her patient and together with Squirrelflight the two she-cat carried Firepaw back to her nest. "Now, I have to tell you you have a long ways of recovery. One whole moon, in fact." She added.

The ginger she-cat's ears drooped and she looked very disappointed. "What?" She meowed miserably, eyes dull. "A whole moon?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Leafpool meowed. "You have badly sprained your paw, you've a horrid gash on your muzzle, your pelt is covered in scratches, half of your right side is completely bruised from where I'm assuming you fell, and your hind-paw was dislocated."

Firepaw blinked. "And I'm alive?"

The light brown tabby laughed slightly, blinking. "For now, yes."

Squirrelflight stiffened noticeably on that comment, whiskers twitching with disapproval as she glanced at her daughter through narrowed eyes.

Feeling uneasy, Firepaw brushed it off.

The ginger she-cat settled down in her nest.

"Go to sleep, Firepaw." Squirrelflight meowed softly, voice gentle as she talked to her kit.

Then it was silent- and nobody spoke for a while. The silence was like a lullaby, and Firepaw slowly drifted off into sleep.

Her dreams were filled with darkness. Of claws and fangs. Of ground drenched in blood. Of those horrid, ice-cold amber eyes boring into her very soul. That sick, twisted smile.

Most of all- Breezepelt's face.

It was haunting her.

That night, was when the nightmares had begun.


	19. Eighteen: Tiger

_Thank you for all the reviews, favs, and follows! I can't believe I"m at 200 already! :D Anyway, I'm sorry but I'm in a big rush today. D: I have lots of things to do, so I can't do the review replies. Maybe I'll upload them later, but I wanted to get this chapter up ASAP! :)_

...

"Why does she look so scared?" Tigerpaw was frantic as he watched the pretty ginger writhe and twist violently in her nest, her mouth open in a soundless scream, her claws out and pelt bristling.

Her body rocked violently and she lashed out a paw at an invisible attacker, her eyelids bulging as if her eyes were wide with panic in her dream.

Leafpool and Jayfeather were both awake, sitting beside their patient. Jayfeather looked as if he might have had an idea- but there was also hopelessness lingering in his eyes, as if he had lost something. Leafpool looked genuinely worried, but her gaze kept flickering towards Firepaw's chest.

None of them were doing anything!

Tigerpaw crouched beside her, groaning with pain as he pressed weight on his hind-paw. "Firepaw." He whispered, reaching out a paw and gently touching the side of her stomach, a spot without wounds. "Hey," He meowed quietly, "wake up." He prodded her again.

He didn't get the reaction he wanted- because at his touch Firepaw thrashed around even more violently than before, her paw clouting Tigerpaw's ear.

She was so afraid- and her soundless screams were louder than an actual piercing scream. To Tigerpaw, at least. His heart ached as he looked helplessly at her.

"I'm not sure what to do." Leafpool meowed hesitantly, eyes swimming with unease as she looked at her niece. So instead, she just crouched beside Firepaw, pulling the writhing ginger she-cat close, and gently stroked her with her tail in a rhythmic pattern. "Maybe this will calm her down."

Tigerpaw noticed how exhausted Leafpool looked. It had been tiresome for her- she had to get the herbs for Snowheart's death ceremony a few sunrises ago, and ever since had been taking care of Tigerpaw and Firepaw- the latter being in a critical condition.

What Leafpool hadn't mentioned- was that Firepaw had been unconscious for more than four sunrises before she finally had awakened.

The words caught in Tigerpaw's throat. He grit his teeth but uttered out, "I… I can stay with her." The light brown tabby's eyes flickered with emotion, but she simply nodded. Withdrawing from her kin, Tigerpaw padded towards Firepaw's nest, each step hurting. He, however, had recovered a lot faster than her, and he was mostly healed. Leafpool had announced he would be able to train in a few sunrises.

Tigerpaw felt his ears twitch uneasily as Jayfeather's gaze once again bored into his pelt, and the tom felt as if the medicine cat could see right into him. The dark brown tom fluffed out his pelt and settled down in the same nest, next to Firepaw. She was still writhing around, but as he slid down next to her, and slowly but rhythmically began to stroke her pelt, Firepaw began to relax.

She still looked terrified, and her body was still twitching, but her muscles had loosened slightly, as if she was in a better situation than before.

Tigerpaw wished he could enter her dreams and fight off whatever was scaring her- but he couldn't. The dark brown tom was mostly worried about what would happen when she found out. Found out about Snowpaw. What would she do then? He lightly bit down on his lip, anxiety swimming through him.

Leafpool nodded her thanks before withdrawing to her side of the den, settling down in a nest. Jayfeather lay down in a nest near her, but Tigerpaw could almost _feel _Jayfeather thinking. Thinking about them. It was pretty obvious that the gray tom was suspicious about something, but he had held his tongue and never really admitted to what suspicions he had about the two apprentices.

_Why is he so suspicious, anyway? _Tigerpaw wondered, frowning slightly. _It's not like me and Firepaw are a danger to the clans, or anything. _The dark brown tom shook his head irritably.

Lifting his head, he tilted it and glanced outside the crack of the exit of the den. It was almost light outside, almost predawn. He could see that it was going to be a misty day, judging by the clouded and blurry visions of outside. He tasted a slight freshness in the air, that promised new-leaf was just on the horizon.

He smiled slightly.

He couldn't wait till it was new-leaf. He remembered just how bright it was, with the many flowers and lush trees… He was leading a patrol, a lot taller than his clanmates. His muzzle was lifted high, a smile spread across. He was thinking about something.

_Wait… what? _Tigerpaw blinked hard, trying to summon up the memory again. There were so many things wrong with that memory! _I've never lead a patrol before! Nor have I seen new-leaf! Also, what was I thinking about in that memory? Was it even a memory?_

Tigerpaw felt as if there were so many thoughts he couldn't possibly fall asleep, but somehow they acted as if they were a lullaby. He felt his eyelids getting heavy and he yawned, feeling drowsy. He sank down into the nest, still next to Firepaw, his neck resting on his paws, and his eyes fluttered shut.

…

When Tigerpaw awoke, he blinked rapidly a couple of times. He could hardly believe his eyes. He was laying next to Firepaw, but unlike last night, she wasn't thrashing around anymore.

The dark brown tabby heaved himself up to his paws, slowly but in a very sneaky way, slunk out of the nest and away from Firepaw. He padded wobbly over to the medicine cats, taking deep breaths as he walked. Then he noticed that they were still asleep.

Tigerpaw groaned with boredom, before swaying on his paws and slumping back into his nest. "This sucks." He muttered to himself, ear twitching. "Nobody is awake- and I have nothing to do."

So he lay in his nest, not asleep, not awake, and waited.

Sooner than he realized, a little murmur came from the other side of the den. His head popped up and he saw Firepaw yawning sleepily, her eyelids still heavy as she blinked open her wide green eyes.

At first, she looked a little frightened when she saw Tigerpaw, but soon she had relaxed. "Hi." She greeted him, ears flattened against her head.

The dark brown tabby tom was miserable just looking at how scared she was.

"Don't be afraid." He meowed quietly, uncertain of what else to say to her.

Her eyes were cast down to the floor, and a small tear trickled out of her eye. "I'm so sorry for everything, Tigerpaw." She blurted out, pelt flattening. "I never hated you- I could never, ever, hate you. I was just so angry and confused and I had thought you had used me!"

Tigerpaw's pale amber eyes widened, and he, stifling a grunt, dragged himself out of his nest. He stood up on surprisingly strong legs, and padded over to her. He locked their gazes, and he meowed to her, "I would never use you, Firepaw." His voice was so serious, it sent a chill down his own spine.

"I know." Firepaw whimpered, burying her face in her paws. "I know, and I'm a horrid cat for thinking you- someone so sweet and devoted, could possibly do that! I don't deserve you as a friend."

The word 'friend' hit Tigerpaw in the chest, but he forced out a faint smile. "You know, it's funny." He whispered to her, eyes twinkling. "Sometimes I think that I don't deserve you as a friend. You're so beautiful and funny and charismatic, while I'm none of those things." He tilted his head to the side. "I was the runt of the litter, and you were the firstborn of the magnificent Bramblestar."

Firepaw just looked even more depressed with each word he said. "Why are you so sweet?" She whimpered, eyes half-closing. "I feel so bad. I'm so, so, so,"

Tigerpaw cut her off, unable to listen to her apologies anymore. "Don't say you're sorry." He meowed firmly, his tail lightly flicking her pelt. "I should be the one to be sorry. I never fully explained anything to you, and I didn't save you in time."

The ginger she-cat let out a low moaning noise, eyes fluttering shut. She didn't open them as she spoke. "I didn't give you the chance to explain. I was too angry. And… and… the Breezepelt thing- that was my fault."

The amber-eyed tom pushed down a pang of curiosity, knowing that his friend wanted no more reminders of that dreadful night. Instead, he dipped his head. "It's okay." He meowed lightly, bringing his head up and giving her that same, crooked smile. "Aren't friends all about having forgiveness?"

Firepaw laughed softly- but it was music to his ears. He was glowing just at the sound of her laughter, and he couldn't help but laugh as well. The green-eyed she-cat glanced up at him, her gaze flitting around nervously before finally fixating on his face. "You know… when I was running," Her voice cracked, and she trembled again.

"It's okay." Tigerpaw tried to stop her from continuing, but she shook her head, determined.

"When I was running- you were what I thought about. I knew that you would be the one to find me- so I headed to the mossy clearing. The last thought I had was a simple prayer for you- that you would find me. Save me." Her voice cracked again, and she looked desperately sorrowful. "Even after I had been so cruel to you, I still expected you to save me. I don't want to be like that. I want us to be equal- you save me, I save you."

Tigerpaw's mouth felt dry. "We don't need to be equal. I will _always _protect you, Firepaw." He meowed to her, summoning up the courage to speak to her- to maybe express his real feelings.

Her eyes glowed with affection and she pushed her muzzle into his fur, murmuring a small thank you.

"Firepaw…" Tigerpaw meowed nervously, withdrawing from her. Oh, StarClan, why did this have to be so hard? He tried to look her in the eyes, but felt himself start to shake. "I… I really care about you." He managed, cringing as he realized his attempt to say 'I love you' had become 'I really care about you.'

The ginger she-cat smiled lightly at him. "I care about you too. Even the best friendships have fights, don't they?"

Oh, StarClan. That she-cat really was oblivious.

"I… I lo-" Tigerpaw was cut off by Leafpool's awakening, and her flurry of questions as she dashed towards Firepaw.

The ginger she-cat shot him an apologetic look, before turning to the medicine cat.

Groaning with exasperation and annoyance, Tigerpaw slumped back into his nest, his eyes fluttering shut.

_I'll try again, later. _

_Maybe._


	20. Nineteen: Fire

_Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I'm sorry I didn't upload the review replies previously, but I figured it was kinda late anyway so yeah... :( The plotline is finally getting interesting. _

**_Review Replies:_**

**_Lawsonsog: _**_Haha, yep. It's getting interesting! :)_

**_QLKwriter: _**_Thanks! :D Haha, yep. Leafpool just decides to interrupt._

**_Moonbeam141: _**_Aw, yes, Tigerpaw. Tell her/him that you love her/him! xD Such gender confusion._

**_Graystorm11: _**_Omygosh, yes! xD I wanna give him a hug too- hes so adorbs and sweet. D: Also, yeah. I didn't even mean for his personality to be so nice- but thats just how it ended up. xD_

**_Scarletpool: _**_Hehe. Don't be too angry! :D_

**_FrostFall37: _**_Ikr, Tigerpaw! So close!_

**_Skyfur02: _**_Yeah, they are adorable together. Also, Jayfeather doesn't really know much- but he has his suspicions, and a few facts. He just needs to piece everything together. I'm thinking of doing a Jay chapter._

**_Ravenflame: _**_Thank you! :) Here's the update._

**_Cookie Platter: _**_Yepyep! This is love! :D_

**_Swimming Trees: _**_Haha, maybe, maybe not. Tigerpaw's going to have a hard time summoning his courage again._

**_kate23816: _**_I'll get to it eventually. :D Also, they will eventually get their memories back- I'm going to say that, but I won't say how-why-when, or anything detailed like that. :P_

**_EmberskyofShadowClan: _**_No problem :) I'm just glad you're reviewing!_

**_Bobbie1776: _**_Awh. It brought tears to your eyes? :P Also, yeah, Firepaw is... kind of oblivious. But she does have similar feelings, she just refuses to truly believe that he loves her so._

**_Splashyness: _**_Haha, heres the next chapter!_

**_Lazy watermelon: _**_Lol, I never really thought about it actually. _

**_Coralstorm: _**_I couldn't find Wolven. 0_0 I'm pretty sure if you delete your account, your story gets deleted as well. Also, oh, damn. Lol, you and Tigerpaw must relate then. Firepaw will also find out about Snowpaw soon. :D_

**_Amberflame805: _**_Thank you! :)_

**_Stealthfire: _**_Yep. :D Super adorable._

**_Wood Cats: _**_Firepaw... do you think she feels the same? She's going to find out about Snowheart soon, though. :D_

**_poopadoop: _**_Ikr, Leafpool! Why!_

**_WarriorCat4Life: _**_Lol, well, here is the update! :)_

...

_The ginger she-cat screamed with fear, her head turning so she could cast a quick glance behind her. There was a midnight-black tom, his paws pounding effortlessly into the ground, a twisted smile on his face as he chased after her. _

_Her lungs were burning with agony, and she gulped in gasps of air in desperation. Her heart hurt and her stomach twisted into knots as she bit down hard onto her lip to try and block out all other feelings of pain. She tasted blood and inwardly cringed._

_A ring of white was visible around her emerald orbs, her pupils dilated into thin slits. He was catching up. As she twisted her gaze around, her heart dropped like a stone as she realized he wasn't there anymore. He was too swift to have been left behind- which meant he was in hiding. _

_She crumpled down, and just lay on the floor, trembling._

_She heard a voice twist around her, and she glanced upwards. There crouched a sleek black tom, his muscles rippling beneath his pelt. A playful look entered his dark amber orbs. "Oh, Firepaw," He cooed, as if talking to a kit. "You lost."_

_He leapt off the branch, his claws outstretched, aimed straight at her._

_Firepaw let out a soundless scream._

_She awaited for blackness to overcome her, but it never did. Blinking rapidly, she realized she was falling. Letting out a high-pitched, shrill, scream, she plummeted down._

_In a blink of an eye, she was in a beautiful meadow. It was peaceful._

_And Firepaw realized she was actually conscious on her dreaming. She knew she was dreaming. She shivered miserably, wondering why she hadn't woken up yet. She glanced around her surroundings._

_At least it was beautiful._

_It was a lush meadow, with soft green grass, beautiful beds of flowers, colors of red, blues, yellows, oranges. The sky was a soft pale blue, dappled with fluffy white clouds. The breeze carried the sweet aroma of flowers as it brushed past her, and it was gentle against her pelt. The trees, not too far away, had strong, thick trunks and green leaves growing from multiple twigs._

_It was a sight to behold._

_"Where am I?" Firepaw murmured to herself, completely bewildered. She raised a paw, and wiggled it. She waved her tail and twitched her ears. Everything was working properly. "What is going on?"_

_She padded quietly through the meadow, blinking rapidly, as if waiting for herself to awake. On the horizon, she noticed a dark line. Blinking hard and trying to focus her vision, she found that it was actually a forest. A shadowy forest._

_A forlorn feeling gnawed at her gut, but something was pulling at her paws, dragging her towards it. _

_Before she knew it, she was already at the border that separated the meadow from the dark forest. She shrieked with fear as she saw movement, but some spark of undying curiosity pushed her onwards. This place was familiar but it wasn't. She hated it. Everything about this place was wrong._

_But why was she going towards it?_

_She stepped forward, each paw stepping forward. She didn't stop, just pursued. She was wandering throughout the shadowy forest. There were no stars here. No moon. The celestial sheen in the sky seemed to have been covered by the muddy brown-black color of it, and the shadowy pines seemed to brush the sky and block out most of the light. The water was murky and vile, looking poisonous. The ground was dirty, without much life on it._

_She shuddered. It was horrid here. She twitched an ear, wondering how it could be so quiet. She padded deeper, and deeper, and when she finally remembered to turn her head around, she realized that she had gotten lost. She couldn't see any light, coming from any direction._

_"Lost?" _

_A mocking voice came from behind her._

_Firepaw's blood ran cold._

_She recognized that voice. Of course she did. It was the one that belonged to the tom that had haunted her dreams, that had tried to murder her. She began to shake uncontrollably, petrified to the state that she couldn't even turn around to face him. She just stood there, trembling._

_The black-furred tom wound around her, his black pelt brushing against her ginger one. At his touch, she had to bite down on her lip to prevent herself from screaming. He withdrew, sniffing haughtily._

_Then, Breezepelt sat down before her. Smirking a little, he rasped his tongue lightly over his paw and drew it over his ear. "Long time no see, my pretty kitty." He mocked her paralyzed state. As she didn't reply, he took the chance to roll onto his stomach, exposing his stomach. It was a pity Firepaw was so terrified she couldn't move- it would've been easy to kill him. "Well, I've missed you too."_

_After what seemed like moons, her voice returned to her. She sounded nothing like herself- but like a scared, whimpering kit. "I…" She stuttered, trying to force the words out of her in a steady manner. "d-don't miss y-you." Her teeth were chattering- with fright, with cold, she couldn't tell anymore._

_Breezepelt stared at her, "Pity." Was all he meowed. "How's Tigerpaw?" He sneered, seething at the mention of the tom's name. _

_"How do you know about Tigerpaw?" She demanded, ears flattened. His name seemed to give her courage, and she felt that she could speak properly again._

_"He was the one who saved you from me. He and another tom." Breezepelt meowed airily, but a glint in his eyes showed that he was planning something. "I tried to kill you after you were almost dead." He laughed for a second, almost amused by his own words. "I'm not some slacker- I finish my work." _

_Firepaw felt bile rise in her throat. The nauseating feeling caused her limbs to unfreeze and she dropped into a low, defensive crouch, green eyes narrowed. "What. Other. Tom." She meowed, shakily._

_Breezepelt grinned cockily at her. "You sure you want to know?" He seemed to be teasing, but malice was clear in his voice. "His name started with Snow- and ended in, I killed him."_

_Shock made Firepaw rear backwards, and everything around her seemed to crumble. Her emotions plummeted down, and she let out a low wail of grief. "You killed him?" She whispered. Then she shouted out in anger, "You dung-faced slimy fox-hearted murderer!" _

_New energy and anger fueled her, and she let out a screech of rage. She lunged at him, slashing out blindly with her claws. He didn't seem to bother to fight back, only defending himself in important parts. She ripped out tufts of his fur, sinking her teeth into his shoulder._

_Something sank its fangs into her scruff and yanked her off, and she let out a howl of rage._

_"I'll kill you!" She screamed at Breezepelt, struggling against the strong grip. "I'll kill you!"_

_She was so blinded by fury she didn't notice the gray-and-white tom gripping her scruff, who just then released her and with one swipe of his paw knocked her over and pinned her to the ground. _

_Firepaw struggled vainly against his grip, eyes narrowed. "Let me go!" Her anger melted away into sadness, and her voice was weak. "I'll… I'll kill you." She whimpered, before tears flooded her eyes._

_She didn't seem to remember that she was in a dangerous forest with cats trying to kill her._

_All she could think about was Snowpaw._

_He wasn't even a warrior… She thought miserably._

_His goofy laugh, his wide smile, his twinkling amber eyes, the way his fluffy pelt always managed to keep the both of them warm… How his white fur matched the snow… _

_She let out another low wail, and she loosened her muscles, too depressed to fight back. _

_"Oh, look." Breezepelt chuckled, ears twitching. "The little kitty is going to die." She felt something shove her harder down, but her ears pricked, she picked up a soft murmur; not today. Breezepelt hissed in fury, and then she felt the hard grip on her get released. As soon as it was, she lifted her head and gulped in breaths of air, having to hold her breath from being shoved down, face-first onto the ground._

_"She can't die yet." The older one, the gray-and-white one meowed, his voice ice-cold. "She's more valuable to him than I thought. I need to talk to him. To train him. He'll discover his true self soon enough." He turned away, tail flicking._

_"Hey!" Firepaw howled, lunging after him. "You leave Tigerpaw alone!" Lashing out at him, but he ducked and he caught her paw, before slamming her down onto the ground again._

_He looked extremely irritated. "Look, Firestar." He snapped at her. Then alarm flashed across his eyes, and he coughed. "Firepaw," He began over, but the ginger she-cat didn't forget what he had snapped earlier. Firestar. "If you tell anyone… you'll regret it."_

_"Kill me, I don't care." Firepaw meowed angrily at him, but her tail was trembling._

_Somehow, deep inside, she knew- if you were killed here, you would never leave._

_She was bluffing, and she knew that the gray-and-white tom could see right through her bluff._

_"Firepaw, I won't just kill you." He chuckled, sounding extremely amused at the prospect of her death being such a threat. "I'll kill your whole family, and set Tigerpaw up for blame. He'll be exiled. He'll think you were the one to do this to him. Slowly, he'll drive himself to insanity. And when he cracks- he's not going to have any remorse left." Thistleclaw purred, as if that delighted him. "He still has a destiny to fulfill. But you keep getting in his way. Mark my words she-cat, if you tell anyone, ANYONE, you will regret it." _

_With that he kicked her hard in the ribs, and she gasped for breath as she was shoved backwards. Breezepelt glanced at her, an unknown emotion lingering in his dark gaze. _

_"You're sick!" Firepaw screamed after Thistleclaw, rage overwhelming her. "You're absolutely sick!"_

_Breezepelt's eyes widened, and he shoved Firepaw hard against the floor. "You need to leave. Now." He hissed in her ear. "Wake up, Firepaw. Wake up. Wake up. WAKE UP!"_

With his words, the ginger she-cat shot awake, eyes flying open with alarm. Her mouth was open, but there was no noise. It took her a while to realize, but gradually she noticed she was screaming silently. Snapping her jaws shut, her green eyes raked around the clearing in a frenzy.

"Are you okay?" Leafpool shot to her side, light brown fur bristling. Jayfeather followed more slowly, ears twitching.

Firepaw nodded mutely, ears flattened against her head. Every night she would have the first stanza of the dream, and she would wake up panicked. However, the second part… it was new to her. This was her first time having it. And as she looked at her pelt, and saw cuts exactly where they had scratched her- she swallowed.

That was more reality than dream.

"You're bleeding." Leafpool gasped, amber eyes wide.

"Yeah." Firepaw meowed.

Jayfeather gazed at her silently, but didn't speak. "Were you having the same nightmare?" He inquired, blinking his blind jay-blue eyes inquisitively at her.

The ginger she-cat hesitated. "Yes." She replied. _Half of the truth, anyway._

"Was there anything different about this dream?" Jayfeather meowed, his voice icy calm as before. But something told Firepaw that he knew more than he let on. His eyes were narrowed, but there was a queer glint in them.

Firepaw's heart hammered in her chest as she thought of the threats made. "No." She mumbled, the lie tasting bitter in her mouth.

Thank StarClan, he didn't press her. He just turned around and padded silently over to Leafpool, looking as if deep in thought. He began to make poultices beside her.

Firepaw waited, and after they finally applied the poultices did she finally shakily pad outside. Leafpool was crouched near the exit, shooting glances at her occasionally.

It had been quite a while since she had gotten hurt. The gathering was a few sunrises ago, yet nor Tigerpaw or her have attended. Tigerpaw was out of the medicine cat's den now- but he was out training with his mentor, deemed fit and healthy enough to start practicing again.

The ginger she-cat glanced at her previous mentor, who was resting outside the nursery, her belly swollen. Her kits would be due any time now. Toadstep nudged her into the nursery, worry flickering in his eyes. Cats were gossiping, and she noticed that Dovewing and Bumblestripe were sharing tongues, the fluffy gray she-cat looking dreamily into his eyes. _Yuck! _Firepaw drew her gaze away from the couple, and opened her jaws to taste the air.

New-leaf was right on the horizon, so much so that she could practically taste it. There was a certain freshness to the air, a leafy smell, tinted with the aroma of sweet flowers that was hinting that new-leaf was about to come. The sun was also glowing a little bit brighter, the air a bit more warm.

Firepaw bit her lip- she had forgotten about Snowpaw.

The ginger she-cat decided to ask her father about it. Breezepelt sounded completely truthful as he spoke it, and the anger that had risen inside her meant she had believed him. But was it the truth, or a lie?

As she limped over to him, the ThunderClan leader called out a greeting. "Hey, Firepaw!" Bramblestar meowed cheerily, touching his nose to her ear. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Thanks." Firepaw meowed hurriedly, before moving on to the topic she wanted to speak about. "So… Bramblestar," She meowed, flattening her ears against her head. It felt awkward to talk to her father. Deciding to be straightforward, she straight out asked him, "is Snowpaw alive?"

The dark brown tabby tom's amber eyes stretched wide with alarm at her question, and he looked taken back, and frankly, very worried. "Um, Firepaw," He meowed anxiously, shifting his weight from side to side.

"Please!" Firepaw practically begged him. "I need to know."

The broad-shouldered tom let out a heavy sigh, looking sorrowfully into his daughter's eyes. "No, he's not. I'm sorry, Firepaw." He meowed quietly, sounding more gentle than his daughter thought possible.

The world spun around her, and Firepaw crumpled down again. She let out a wail of grief, burying her muzzle into her father's fur. Tears streamed down her cheeks, soaking her pelt and splattering against the ground. She wasn't afraid to show her sorrow.

Bramblestar didn't make any attempt to talk. He just wrapped his tail tight around her, and let her cry for a while.

Firepaw didn't know how long she had cried for, but when she finally stopped her father was still there. However, he looked almost anxious, as if he were to be late for something.

"Firepaw, I'm sorry." He meowed to her, touching his muzzle to her ear. "I'm going to give Dewpaw and Amberpaw their warrior names tonight."

"Snowpaw deserved his name more than them." Firepaw meowed bitterly, trying not to think about the white tom.

Bramblestar's eyes glowed, and Firepaw was bewildered. How could he be happy about this? "Firepaw," He meowed gently. "His name isn't Snowpaw. It's Snowheart."

Without saying anything else, the broad-shouldered tom padded towards Highledge and called a clan meeting, leaving Firepaw shocked.

"Hey, Firepaw!" Hollypaw meowed, waving her over. "I just got back from training. I think Tigerpaw is still out on patrol, but you can sit with us." She gestured towards Spottedpaw. Firepaw glanced around for Owlpaw, but she wasn't there. Limping towards her friend, she sat down.

"Thanks." Firepaw meowed.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highledge!" Bramblestar yowled, his voice echoing around the hollow.

Firepaw wasn't conscious of how many cats gathered around her, but she scooted a bit closer to Hollypaw. Her friend blinked reassuringly at her, knowing about her nightmares and her new fear of being in a overly crowded area.

"Today I am doing one of my favorite things as clan leader." He turned to face their mentors. "Whitewing, Spiderleg, do you think your apprentices are ready to become warriors?"

Whitewing grinned at her younger brother, "Yes, Dewpaw has worked hard and is ready to become a warrior."

Spiderleg replied, "Amberpaw is a warrior ThunderClan will be proud to have."

The two apprentices squealed before dashing forward.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard in the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." He meowed. "Dewpaw, Amberpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Without hesitation, Dewpaw replied honestly, "I do."

Amberpaw's reply almost drowned out her brothers as she squeaked with enthusiasm, "I do!"

But a slight sadness coated their words- the sadness that their brother wasn't there to share the excitement.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Dewpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dewfrost. StarClan honors your courage and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He announced, resting his muzzle on the younger tom's head. The newly-named Dewfrost licked his shoulder. "Amberpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Amberflight. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He rested his muzzle on her head as well, and she licked his shoulder.

Cheers erupted from the clan. "Amberflight, Dewfrost, Amberflight, Dewfrost!"

Hesitantly, Firepaw added a new name to the cheer. "Snowheart! Snowheart!"

Hollypaw glanced at her, but joined in. Soon enough, even the two newly-named warriors were cheering along with the other cats for their brother.

The clan cheered, despite the tragedies that had struck them.

Tigerpaw had padded in just then, and his eyes widened at the cheering. His eyes glowing, he joined in as well.

"Snowheart! Amberflight! Dewfrost!"


	21. Twenty: Tiger

_Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! I can't believe I'm almost at 270 reviews, 70 follows and 50 favs! :D Anyway, the time from this chapter and the last might be a bit random. I just realized that too little time had passed, and so I decided to speed it up and make it so that a whole moon had passed. They are both around eight and a half moons old now._

_Also, a question- should I update the allegiances as the story progresses, or just leave it?_

_Next, Review Replies:_

**_So Cheesy: _**_Thank you so much! :) The beginning of the chapter is very intense I agree, but the ending was sweet. :) I shipped FirexSnow, actually. They were adorable._

**_WarriorCat4Life: _**_Haha, yeah. :D If Tigerpaw will ever confess his feelings to her, :) Anyway, thanks!_

**_Moonshine57: _**_No problem! I like the name Dewfrost, in fact, I usually like any name with 'frost' as a suffix. It just sounds nice. xD And in this case, like a tribute to Snowheart in a way. :)_

**_kate23816: _**_Ikr. D:_

**_Lawsonsog: _**_I didn't think that chapter was that short. O.o'_

**_Bobbie1776: _**_Haha. Breezepelt is being hated on a lot, but I don't hate him that much. Well, not in this story, anyway. In the original series I hated him because he was a dick to Jayfeather. Dx_

**_QLKwriter: _**_I tried to make it sweet, haha. :) Also, in your prediction, there were a few aspects that were correct, but I'm not going to tell you which. :) Anyway, thanks!_

**_Splashyness: _**_Haha, here is the update! :) Anyway, yeah, it was sweet of them to do that. :P_

**_Amberflame805: _**_Sounds like you love Breezepelt. xD He's pretty cool._

**_FanficTo-A-T: _**_:o_

**_Swimming Trees: _**_I'm sowweh. D: Thistleclaw was Tigerstar's mentor, so I figured he would be important-ish I guess. Plus he's still in the Dark Forest. Thistleclaw died when the RiverClan patrol killed him, but he never died when he was in the Dark Forest, so he's still there. Also, I wouldn't make Firepaw a cripple- she's too damaged already. D: _

**_Stream that Flows Around Rock: _**_Omygosh. xD Breezepelt when he tried to wake Firepaw up was like, him actually trying to help her. I won't say any more, though._

**_Wood Cats: _**_I hope Firepaw begins to love Tigerpaw as well. Also, Breezepelt really did have good intentions and was trying to help her by waking her up, but that's all I'm going to say. :)_

**_Stealthfire: _**_Yeah, it was sweet. :D _

**_Frostfall: _**_Thank you! :)_

**_poopadoop: _**_Ikr. At least Snowheart rests in StarClan! :D_

**_Guest: _**_Your reply made me laugh. xD But it's kinda true._

**_Coralstorm: _**_Yeah, it's a shame. ): Also, thanks! :) And the gray-and-white tom was Thistleclaw, in case you didn't get the reference. :P _

**_Scarletpool: _**_Yay Snowheart! :D I tried to make it as cute as possible. :P_

**_Guest: _**_Well, here's the next update! :)_

...

A dark brown tabby tom was lying in the clearing, nibbling peacefully from a vole. His pale amber gaze swept across the clearing, ears flicking upwards in surprise and relief as he saw his sister returning, her blue eyes glowing happily. His sister had an assessment today, and he had hoped she had done well.

It had been a moon since the warrior ceremony for Amberflight and Dewfrost, and Firepaw was almost ready to start training again. It was a relief to see her eyes a bit more light, a bit less haunted. He knew that she still suffered from nightmares, but it was a bit better than before. There was no sign of any attacks, but Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Dovewing and Ivypool were acting wary around him and Firepaw.

Tigerpaw had already begun to work for quite a while, and muscles rippled beneath his thick fur and his amber eyes were narrowed in determination. Not only that, but the nursery was getting crowded again. He smiled softly in relief- it had been a few moons that ThunderClan had been without kits, and it was good.

His best friend's ex-mentor, Cherryfall, had given birth to Toadstep's kits a while ago. She gave birth to two little toms, one was white with little black spots, the other a dark red color. She had named the first one Pebblekit, and the second one Redkit. Not only that, but Dovewing had moved to the nursery, expecting Bumblestripe's kits. The pair had been delighted, especially Bumblestripe.

He opened his jaws, tasting the air. It smelled fresh, carrying the sweet aroma of flowers, yet also of new leaves and fresh soil. The sky was a pale blue color, dappled with fluffy white clouds that were in an assortment of different sizes and shapes. The sun shone bright, its brilliant light beaming down and illuminating the forest, filtering in through the cracks between trees and dappling the soft, earthy forest floor. There were still flecks of frost coating the trunks in the morning, along with a chilling breeze, but when the sun was out, it was warm. New-leaf was just on the horizon- it was almost there.

Prey was also plentiful, Tigerpaw thought, glancing at the fresh-kill pile. There were two sparrows, four mice and a large rabbit on it. They weren't all too stringy and skinny, and it was rare, yet refreshing to see birds on the pile that actually had some meat on their bones.

Spottedpaw waved her tail at her mentor, dropped two voles on the fresh-kill pile, before padding over to Tigerpaw. "Hey." She greeted him, her ears twitching with acknowledgement.

"Hi, Spottedpaw." He purred, nudging his vole towards her, "Want some?"

She shook her head no. "Well?" She meowed, sounding slightly impatient. "Aren't you going to ask me how my assessment went?"

Tigerpaw nodded rapidly, "Oh yeah." He meowed, tail twitching. "How was your assessment?" He asked, his eyes blinking thoughtfully. She had seemed quite happy, but yet there was an emotion lingering in her eyes- a bit of resentment, regret, longing, as if she really wished for something else.

The dappled she-cat grabbed a sparrow, before settling down and taking a large bite out of it. "It was okay." She finally meowed, before beginning to chew. The dark brown tom itched for details- but waited, deciding that if his sister were to tell him, then being patient would probably be a good way. "I managed to catch the two voles, and I think I did pretty well at the tree-climbing. During fighting, I messed up a little, because I was too slow to defend the blow that Owlpaw aimed at me." She winced, flushing a red color. "My mentor said I have to improve my fighting techniques."

The dark brown tom pushed his muzzle into his sister's fur, blinking kindly at her. "I'm sure you'll be great for your next assessment." He chided.

His sister didn't seem to hear him, but her blue gaze was fixated on the medicine cat's den. Her gaze lingered, and a cloudy longing and regret made her blue eyes darken. She did this a lot.

"Thanks," She seemed to force herself to meow. Jayfeather and Leafpool popped out of the medicine cat's den, and Spottedpaw seemed to brighten, just seeing them. She finished her vole in a few ravenous gulps, waved her tail goodbye at her brother, "I'm going to go see if Leafpool needs any help." Then she was up on her paws and running over to the medicine cat's den.

Tigerpaw blinked. His sister was here, talking about being warrior, one moment, and then the next she was in the medicine cat's den. He recalled seeing her there multiple times when he was sick- in fact she was always quite useful. She seemed to have a good memory for remembering herbs, and he saw her carrying a bundle of herbs between her jaws often.

Shock jolted him to his paws as he realized something. _What if Spottedpaw wanted to be a medicine cat's apprentice? _He thought, utterly surprised. _She is always over there- but never spoke about it. Probably because only two cats can be medicine cats. She never seems to show any interest in toms either. _Frowning slightly- he wondered if his sister had felt sad, and longing to be a medicine cat her whole life. He decided he would ask her about it later.

A blur of ginger fur caught his attention, and his face immediately lit up as he noticed Firepaw. Bounding over to her, he grinned slightly. "Hi, Firepaw!" He purred, and she glanced up. Her face twisted in fright, before the expression fell of her face and she smiled, grimacing a little.

"Hey." Was what she replied, before she brushed muzzles with him. As he stepped forward, the dark brown tabby could feel her quivering slightly.

Tigerpaw's stomach clenched, "Nightmares again?"

Looking miserable, the ginger she-cat nodded. "Yeah." She meowed softly.

"I'm sorry you had go to through that." Tigerpaw meowed sadly, lowering his head.

"It's okay." With that, the ginger she-cat padded away. She was kind to him, but she seemed so… lost. So different. So _detached. _Ever since the first nightmares had began, she would wake up screaming, and whimper at any noise. She had recovered from that phase, but Firepaw hardly spoke anymore. Her voice was always a soft whisper, and she always sounded frightened or helpless as she spoke. Like she knew something- but couldn't tell him.

The beautiful green-eyed she-cat had lost her confidence.

Sadly, Tigerpaw padded away from her. He vowed he would get her confidence back. His mind darkened, and his thoughts flickered to the dream that _he _had had the previous night. The whole morning, he had stood still, shaken by it, but at noon he had finally decided to dismiss it. However, talking to Firepaw, it brought up the dream again and he felt a wave of uncertainty and fear wash over him.

Ever since Firepaw had begun to have the nightmares, Tigerpaw had begun to feel different as well. It wasn't that he was having nightmares- but sometimes, just simply sitting in the middle of the clearing- he would get a sudden thought, a possibly that appeared in his mind. He would wonder what would happen if he killed someone. He felt compelled to do it, and he could practically taste the blood. Then the feeling would vanish, just as suddenly as it had come, and he would stand there, dizzy and thoroughly sickened and confused by what had just happened. He had never told anybody about it- Firepaw was the main priority right now. She was more important than him, and he didn't want to distract them from helping her.

_It was dark, shadowy. There was no moon here. No stars. It was forlorn. Tigerpaw was standing still, and ahead of him was a gray-and-white tom. Thistleclaw. The apprentice didn't bother to ask himself how he knew the tom's name, it just didn't occur to him as odd inside of the dream._

_"Thistleclaw," Tigerpaw meowed coolly, as if addressing someone below him. The dark brown tabby tom didn't feel like himself- more rather he was watching in his own body, but someone else was controlling it._

_The gray-and-white tom dipped his head in respect, his whiskers brushing the ground as he leaned low. "Tigerstar," He meowed, his voice rumbling in his throat. "It is a relief to see you have finally come to your senses. I believe it had taken a while."_

_Irritation shot through the apprentice, and he bared his fangs. "When have I ever been astray?" He snarled, clearly unwilling to deal with the tiny bit of contempt that the older warrior held in his throat._

_The spiky-furred tom's eyes flashed with resentment, but it quickly melted away into a mixture of fear and awe. He held his head low, murmuring two simple words, "Forgive me."_

_The dark brown tabby tom felt stronger than ever before- empowered by this place. These hallowed grounds where grass was wilted, there was no celestial sheen, and fear lurked behind every tree. He drew himself to his full height, his muscles rippling beneath his thick pelt, pale amber eyes glowing like two pin-points in the blackness. "The three have lost their powers. Without this prophecy- we will stand a chance this time." He meowed, sounding determined. "It was an unfair fight- it wasn't because we were weaker," He spat angrily, eyes narrowed coldly, "It was because those damned fools in StarClan had a prophecy on their side."_

_"Of course." Thistleclaw meowed, lifting his head, and fixing the dark tabby in an intense gaze. "But we can't try to recruit from the clans again. They are far too loyal to their pathetic warrior code and their foolish clanmates." He shook his head, "Fear is a strong, but love is the strongest weapon of all."_

_"Do you think I don't know that?" Tigerpaw roared, looming over Thistleclaw. Somehow, he had grown in height, such so that he towered over the gray-and-white warrior. "That fool Brokenstar did not understand just how strong their loyalties were. He never understood love, or any of that. It made him oblivious. He was ignorant. What we need are cats that have no ties, or even better, hatred, for the clans."_

_The gray-and-white tom tilted his head to the side, amber eyes gleaming in the gloom. "But what cats are there that hold a hatred for the clans? Those foolish cats may be weak, but they do know how to earn the loyalties of other cats." Thistleclaw hissed, his ears twitching._

_The dark brown tabby narrowed his eyes in concentration, sitting down, wrapping his tail around his paws. His ears twitched as he noticed the shadowy figure of five cats. He immediately recognized each of their pelts. Thistleclaw, of course. A skinny white tom- Snowtuft. A slender dark silver and black striped tom, Darkstripe. A tortoiseshell, Mapleshade. And the last- a black tom with dark amber eyes. Breezepelt. _

_"Breezepelt," Tigerpaw snapped, eyes narrowed. "How have you failed on killing that pathetic Firestar? She was half-dead!" The black tom shrunk back a little, amber eyes flashing reproachfully._

_That jolted his attention. Tigerpaw's consciousness flickered, and for a moment he felt as if he were in control of his own body. However, before he could take a step, everything switched and he felt trapped again, as if he were just watching. Anger boiled up inside of him, and he wanted to rip out Breezepelt's throat. He felt more scared than ever as he felt himself smile widely._

_"No matter," Tigerpaw chuckled coldly, eyes narrowed. His laugh was the furthest thing from amusement. "You'll just have to prove your worth another way. I need you to find somebody, in all four clans, to be our alive link. Do not tell me who it is- tell Thistleclaw. He will approve it." The other cat inside of his body seemed conscious of the knowledge that this body was shared, and did not seem to want Tigerpaw to hear. "I can't go searching, as I am not in control of this pathetic tom during day-time. He is me, but that fool Firestar has poisoned his heart with love." The contempt in his voice as he spoke the cherished word, 'love', made his own heart twist._

_"Y-yes, Tigerstar." Breezepelt nodded, looking extremely relieved. _

_"Thistleclaw will accompany you." Tigerpaw added, ears twitching._

_"You, Mapleshade." Tigerpaw pointed an unusually long and sharp claw at the tortoiseshell-furred she-cat, and her eyes narrowed in focus as she glanced up who seemed to be their leader. "Take Snowtuft and Darkstripe with you, and call a meeting. Start practicing, and tell them that their leader is ready." His eyes gleamed darkly, "Tell them that Tigerstar is back."_

_The dark brown tom shifted his weight and beckoned Thistleclaw over. "Hurry, he is waking up." He muttered to the gray-and-white tom. "You must oversee them. Do not tell me any important parts of our plan." His pale amber eyes narrowed, "At least, not until I find a way to rid myself of… him."_

_Thistleclaw dipped his head, amber eyes flashing. "It's good to have you back." He growled, looking satisfied. "I will think of a way to separate the two of you. Or at least find a way to do something to his memories."_

Tigerpaw jerked back to reality, shivering. The dream had felt so real- so completely, and utterly real. He was in his own body, but he couldn't control it. He knew so many things and recognized all these cats that he didn't know at all. And the worst part was that he didn't know why, or how.

He felt a burning gaze fixed on his back, and he shivered. Turning around, he saw that it was Jayfeather staring at him, his jay-blue eyes narrowed. Tigerpaw realized, that ever since the incident involving him and Firepaw, Jayfeather had begun to focus on the two of them. Not only that, but Lionblaze, Dovewing, and Ivypool seemed to be as well.

Tigerpaw's heart sank as he realized that even his father had begun to feel slightly untrusting of his own son. Or at least suspicious.

Jayfeather turned away, leaving Tigerpaw's fur ruffled.

"Mouse-brained medicine cat," The dark brown tabby tom muttered, but he felt thoroughly spooked. His dream was chilling, along with the awful, bewildering urges, and now the senior warriors, and medicine cats of his own clan begun to be untrusting of him? Not to mention the flash of fright that always dashed across Firepaw, his best friend, and what she didn't know- the cat he loved's face.

"Hi, Tigerpaw!" Two kits tumbled forward, looking excited. The first one was a skinny tom with white fur, with small black flecks. His eyes were bright amber. The second one had dark, russet, fox-red fur, accompanied by a pair of pale green eyes, similar to his father's. Pebblekit and Redkit.

The dark brown tabby tom rasped his tongue over his pelt quickly, before focusing on the two kits. "Hi Pebblekit and Redkit." He greeted them, ears twitching. "Is this your first time out of camp?" He asked.

Pebblekit bounced a little on his tiny paws, lashing his short but fluffy tail. "Yep!" He squeaked, looking happy.

"It's not my first time," Redkit piped up, his green eyes glittering with excitement. "I came out here yesterday, remember? When you were so determined to sleep, for like, ever!"

Pebblekit looked a little crestfallen, but he immediately beamed with excitement and energy again. "Tigerpaw, can you teach us a battle move?" He exclaimed.

Tigerpaw smiled softly, "You guys are still too young to be learning battle moves." He meowed quietly. Seeing their spirits fall, he quickly added, "But I can play moss-ball with you guys, if thats what you want."

"Yay!" Pebblekit squealed, "It's so boring, us being the only kits in the nursery."

"Yeah," Redkit poked his brother in the side playfully, eyes gleaming, "But new kits will be coming soon. Maybe you'll be mates with one of Dovewing's future kits!"

The white and black tabby tom opened his tiny mouth in protest, shaking his head wildly. "No way!" He exclaimed in disgust. "She-cat's are gross!"

Redkit giggled, darting to the medicine cat's den. "I'll get the moss-ball!"

"Okay!" Tigerpaw called after him.

As the three of them began to play, Tigerpaw began to relax slightly. Entertaining kits was such a simple thing to do- but it was so relaxing as well. It made him feel relieved, and also happy. It was fun to just be relaxing and playing with the kits. And it was a lot better than stressing about what was going on with him lately. Briefly, he wondered about him and Firepaw. Would they be mates in the future? Would they ever have kits? Would he get to be a father, teach his own kits, play with his own kits?

As he played, he realized that the more he played, the more he thought about it. He knew that Firepaw would be a great mother, and he would be the best father he could be. He hoped, someday, that there would be miniature Firepaw and Tigerpaw's running around their paws. He smiled softly at the thought.


	22. Twenty-One: Fawn

_**This chapter is not set from Tigerpaw or Firepaw's P.O.V! In fact, it isn't set from any ThunderClan cat's P.O.V. It's actually the WindClan apprentice I mentioned briefly- Fawnpaw. It isn't random.**_

_**Also, from the previous chapter- a lot of people mentioned Spottedpaw being Spottedleaf, but I have to say I considered it- but she isn't a reincarnation of her. I'll probably give her a P.O.V later on, that will explain it some more.**_

_Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! Can you believe it? :D WE'RE ALMOST AT 300! :D_

_Review Replies:_

**_EmberskyOfShadowClan:_**_ Haha, well, I decided that Tigerpaw should have something similar with Tigerstar. Also, about the Spottedleaf part- refer to what I said above. :D_

**_Moonbeam141: _**_Yeah, poor Tigerpaw. He must be so confused about all his dreams and everything. He's so cute and sweet and Tigerstar's so... not._

**_So Cheesy: _**_Thanks! :D Yeah, it was hard to kill him off- but I hate those movies/books where all of the 'good people' survive at the end, yet somehow all the villains just die, because I think it's unrealistic. So I killed him off. D:_

**_Ravenwing of ThunderClan: _**_Refer to above. :P_

**_QLKwriter:_**_ Yeah. Pretty true. :D Tigerpaw does have a lot of Tigerstar in him, especially in his dreaming state. When he dreams into the Dark Forest, Tigerstar takes control of him._

**_BurningFlamesEverBright: _**_Thank you! :D I remember Tigerstar talking about fools a lot, lol. Also, it was fun to write the DF scene. :D _

**_Birdflame:_**_ Yeah. :( Poor Tigerpaw._

**_kate23816:_**_ Tigerstar is a bad kitty. :P_

**_WarriorCat4Life:_**_ They will be getting together. And soon. :D Also, thanks! :)_

**_Skyfur02:_**_ Ikr. TigerxFire having kits would be cute. (but I make no promises)_

**_Swimming Trees: _**_Haha, yeah. Its kind of like how when Cinderheart used to dream into StaClan- she would remember everything and kind of be like Cinderpelt. So Tigerstar is Tigerpaw when he dreams his way into the Dark Forest. Also, I haven't decided if the same thing applies to Firepaw. But it probably will._

**_Ravenflame2025:_**_ Yeah, they will get together. TigerxFire is going to happen. xD But there will be bumps along the road there. ):_

**_Coralstorm:_**_ Thistleclaw and Mapleshade actually did survive TLH, I checked the warriorswiki to see if they had a 'none' beneath their residence, and they don't. :D So I'm pretty sure that they lived. Also, I started this fanfic before Bramblestar's Storm came out. I'm also sad to say that I still haven't read it. ): _

**_Bobbie1776:_**_ Lol. :D I don't really ship them that much. I think PoppyxBerry is pretty cute, but so is HoneyxBerry. Agh. D:_

**_Shira the Mage: _**_xD Okay, the Spottedpaw thing did cause a lot of confusion. Hollypaw is definitely not Hollyleaf. Also, yeah. TigerxFire is adorbs. :3_

**_Stealthstar of StealthClan: _**_Yeah. :D Amberflight! Dewfrost! Also, congrats on getting an account. :) And yeah, Tigerstar being back... tis no good. D: And TigerxFire is cute._

_**pyrocatz603:** aww ): but yeah, rest in peace, Snowheart. You're a good kitty. _

**_Warriorcatsrule:_**_ Thank you so much! :O + I'm not offended at all. xD There are definitely things about this story that I could revise and fix up. Also, yeah, again, thank you so much! :D_

**_Warrior Fan: _**_xD Of course you're forgiven :) It doesn't matter if you have an account or not, I don't look down on guests. I'm glad that you're reviewing. Also, okay! :D I'll be counting on you. :P_

...

"Stagpaw!" A creamy brown furred she-cat called, amber eyes warm. "Crouchfoot and Emberfoot are taking us hunting!" At her words, a nimble brown tom padded over, blinking in surprise.

"Really?" He meowed, slightly bewildered. "I thought they were taking us on the dusk patrol. Which is soon." He gestured with his tail at the sky, a mottled gray-blue color that had a few fluffy clouds still lingering in it.

Fawnpaw blinked in surprise. Tilting her head to her side, she padded towards the clearing with her brother on her heels. There sat her mentor, Crouchfoot, calmly chatting with Emberfoot. The older warrior's gray fur gleamed under the light of dusk, but his eyes were gleaming. His mate, Sedgewhisker, had recently given birth to his litter of kits- consisting of two toms. Fogkit and Rabbitkit.

Stagpaw called to his mentor, "Emberfoot!" The light brown tom padded lightly towards him, ears twitching. "Are we going hunting?" He asked, looking bemused.

"We will be going on the dusk patrol. But I think your sister is going hunting with me, Heathertail and Breez-" The warrior stopped abruptly, his eyes flashing with alarm, ginger pelt bristling a bit. He coughed awkwardly, lowering his head, "I mean Heathertail and Weaselfur," He muttered, flushing red.

It had been a moon since Breezepelt had vanished. WindClan had gotten worried, looking for him everywhere. They thought he may have been killed- or something like that. They saw his scent trail travel to the edge of WindClan border, where it promptly disappeared. Thus forcing them to believe that he had decided to return to the Dark Forest.

Fawnpaw shuddered, her ears flattening against her head. Narrowing her eyes, she squared her shoulders and sat down in a hunched position. It was awful how they immediately assumed that Breezepelt had gone to the Dark Forest. He was actually her good friend- her mentor Crouchfoot had gotten sick for a while and the black tom had taken over. He was a tough mentor, but he always praised her and he taught her better than any other mentor. She felt a pang of sadness.

"Okay," Fawnpaw meowed carefully, eyes darting nervously to her mentor's pelt. "So are we going hunting, or on a border patrol?"

"Hunting," Crouchfoot meowed at the same time as Emberfoot meowed, "Border patrol."

The two toms blinked at each other, and then Crouchfoot rolled his eyes, meowing, "I'm taking you to hunt, while your brother is going with Emberfoot, Nightcloud and Hootpaw on the dusk patrol." He clarified.

"Okay," Fawnpaw shrugged. Brushing muzzles with her brother as a swift farewell, she padded after her mentor, keeping an eye on his sleek ginger pelt. As she glanced at the nursery, she remembered that he was going to be a father soon. Father to Larkwing's kits.

"So, who is coming on patrol with us?" She asked her mentor, ears twitching.

"Heathertail and Weaselfur," Crouchfoot replied. "Just casual hunting- nothing too exciting, I'm afraid. Even though leaf-bare is ending, we need to make sure that nobody goes hungry. Especially with kits in the nursery and a pregnant queen,"and elders."

Fawnpaw bounded forward, waving her tail excitedly. "That sounds great!" She exclaimed, eyes glowing. "I haven't had a proper hunt that wasn't any assessment or learning lesson in so long." She began to chatter, very excited. "I bet I will catch the biggest and fastest rabbit in all of the moors! Not only that, but I'll also catch the most plump! I'll feed the whole clan!" She promised to him, "And I won't cross any borders or do anything awful!" She bounced a little on her paws.

Crouchfoot twitched his whiskers, looking at his apprentice in amusement, "Okay, okay, Fawnpaw. Calm down." He chided, rolling his eyes a little. "Heathertail, Weaselfur!" He called. "Let's go hunting."

The pale tabby she-cat yawned a little, padding out. Her pretty blue eyes blinked open, scanning the camp in search for her hunting patrol. She bounded over, while Weaselfur seemed to calmly walk over- as if he was in no rush.

"Let's go," Weaselfur meowed to them as he padded over, twitching a year. The four cats padded out of camp, towards the moor. Fawnpaw glanced at the long stalks of grass waving in the air, the breeze causing them to rustle.

"Where are we hunting?" Fawnpaw meowed excitedly, eyes gleaming.

"We'll hunt near the ThunderClan border," Crouchfoot decided.

Fawnpaw frowned a little. She remembered when her and Stagpaw had that run-in with the patrol and they had gotten into a border skirmish. It wasn't too pretty.

The creamy brown furred she-cat shrugged, amber eyes blinking. "Sure," She bounded forward through the grass.

"I'm going to go this way," Weaselfur meowed, eyes gleaming. Swerving left at the river, he waved goodbye with his tail.

"I thought we were hunting together." Fawnpaw frowned.

Heathertail flicked the light brown she-cat with her tail, smiling warmly. "Fawnpaw, we're all going to be hunting separately. This way we'll catch more prey."

Fawnpaw gaped a little, "But I've never hunted alone before! Well, aside from assessments."

"It's okay, Fawnpaw," Crouchfoot soothed her, touching his tail to her flank. "All you really have to do is catch a lot and meet us all back here at around," He raised his eyes to the sky. "Well, midnight."

"Midnight?" Fawnpaw's jaw dropped open. "That's a lot of hunting!"

Crouchfoot ruffled her fur, "I know, but I knew we can count on you. Besides, this is actually a practice hunt- because next quarter moon I'm going to test you on night hunting."

"Whats the difference between night and day hunting?" The she-cat meowed, confused.

"At night it's darker… and you are more tired?" Crouchfoot shrugged, making things up on the spot so his apprentice would agree to hunt.

"You know," Fawnpaw meowed gently. "If you need some time to hunt alone, you could have just told me." _Poor Crouchfoot. _She thought, sighing. _I think him and Larkwing are having a rough time. _Her amber eyes blinked sympathetically at him, before she bounded away.

The strong scent of rabbit immediately darted up her nose, and she grinned a little. Narrowing her eyes, she spotted her prey. It was a fluffy white rabbit, and it looked quite chubby. Dropping into a crouch, she padded forward tentatively, ready to leap. The rabbit glanced at her, and began to dash away.

_You can't run from me! _Fawnpaw thought gleefully as she hared in pursuit, her strong haunches pushing off of the ground as she dashed forward. Lunging forward, she sank her claws into the rabbit's shoulders and killed it with a swift bite to the neck. She stood over it smugly, feeling triumphant over her kill.

"Fawnpaw," A voice whispered behind her.

She spun around, eyes widening.

There was nobody there.

Feeling slightly spooked, she shook her head and fluffed up her pelt. Glancing up at the sky, she decided she still had time to catch another rabbit. She crouched down, and buried her previous prey. As she turned tail to go scent another rabbit, it happened again.

"Fawnpaw!" The whisper, the voice, it was more urgent this time.

She felt a pang of familiarity about it.

However, when she whirled around, there was nobody there. Beginning to feel frightened, she dashed away from the spot and tried to preoccupy herself in hunting.

"Fawnpaw!" The voice said again, but this time it was a shout. "Don't run. Please. Listen."

She looked around frantically, but she couldn't see anybody. "Who are you?" She whimpered, afraid.

"Don't be afraid!" It whispered reassuringly to her. "I can't show myself yet. I need you to agree to something first."

"I'm not going to agree to something that was told to me by someone I can't even see!" Fawnpaw exclaimed, suddenly feeling slightly annoyed. But she felt as if the voice was familiar to her… Very familiar.

"Will you promise me that you won't run off after I show myself?" The voice whispered to her.

Everything in her body was screaming no, but that nagging curiosity of who this was bit at her. The voice was so familiar- she just needed to match it with a face. Something told her she would regret if if she said no, so sighing, she lowered her head. "Fine." She muttered, almost mutinous that her curiosity had gotten the best of her.

She felt a tap on her shoulder, and as she whirled around, her eyes stretched wide. There, before her eyes, was a lean black-furred tom with piercing amber eyes that she would never forget.

"Breezepelt? Are you alive?"

The black tom shook his head no, but he smiled widely, showing his teeth. "I need your help, Fawnpaw." He whispered, looking as if he were distressed. "ThunderClan cats murdered me. They killed me."

"W-what?" She gaped at him, eyes widening.

"It's true." Breezepelt meowed sadly, lowering his muzzle. "StarClan isn't ready to accept me yet, Fawnpaw. They told me that in order for me to be accepted, I need to prove that I believe that cats can be true warriors without being clan-born." He had a tremor in his voice, and he looked so sad, his eyes round. "They told me I have to befriend a loner."

"Really?" Fawnpaw meowed disbelievingly, twitching her tail. "StarClan told you to befriend a loner. I thought that we didn't associate with them- unless they needed help. Or something like that."

"Thats what they told me!" Breezepelt meowed sadly, his ghost-like shimmery form seeming to glow under the moonlight. "Will you help me, Fawnpaw? I don't have a lot of friends in WindClan, because I was sort of a jerk. But I regret my decisions- I really do. Please. I tried to be the best mentor I could to you."

_That is true. _Fawnpaw couldn't help to agree. _Breezepelt may have been a jerk, but he was a great mentor. He was probably even better than Crouchfoot. He taught me all kinds of fighting skills that I would have never learned from Crouchfoot. _The amber-eyed she-cat seemed to nod, looking up at him with round eyes. "What do you need me to do?" She asked, ear twitching.

"If I tell you, do you promise not to tell any other cat?" Breezepelt meowed solemnly.

Fawnpaw lifted her head and locked gazes with her ex-mentor.

"I promise."

As she meowed the words, she felt as if she saw a ghost of an eery smile pass by his face.

* * *

><p><em>Also, quick heads-up. This is kind of a short chapter, because it's mostly just an informativerevealing thing about who Breezepelt picked to be his alive link, or whatever I called it in the last chapter lol._


	23. Twenty-Two: Fire

_Thank you for all the reviews, favs, and follows! -squeals- I can't believe we are at 300 reviews! And almost 60 favorites and 80 follows! Gosh, guys. Thank you so much. I don't know where I would be without all of your reviews- its what makes me want to write more. :)_

_Also, to a few of you guys- I don't know if I made it obvious enough (If I didn't- it was my fault) but in the previous chapter, Breezepelt was lying. He does not need to befriend loners because of StarClan. He has something else in mind._

_**Review Replies:**_

_**Birdflame: **__Breezepelt is too damn awesome to disappear! (Jk, I don't really like him. He insulted my fav char-Jayfeather!)_

**_Skyfur02: _**_Yep, lol. Breezepelt is getting pretty good at this whole deceit thing. _

**_The Muffin Who Eats Cake: _**_Yeah, he does seem to have something up his sleeve. :O But what is it? Dun dun dun..._

_**QLKwriter: **__Yep yep! Fawnpaw is going to be a pretty important character later on. :)_

_**Lawsonsog: **__You've asked me when they will become warriors twice already. -.-' They are only three moons, and I don't plan on making them warriors yet. They will become warriors in a few chapters._

**_Neon Wish:_**_ Yeah, Breezepelt! Why you gotta be so evil? D:_

**_Stealthstar of StealthClan:_**_ I don't believe Breezepelt either. D: He's a bad kitty. _

**_FrostFall37:_**_ Thanks. :) It was to explain a bit more about the Breezepelt- alive link- project and who he chose and all that stuff._

**_Moonbeam141:_**_ Ikr. Good luck Fawnpaw- don't piss him off, don't die. _

**_Amberflame805:_**_ Ahh. So you're Amberflame. :) Okay. Got it. Anyway, yeah, Breezepelt sure is being creepy. _

**_Bobbie1776:_**_ Maybe, maybe not! :( :) Also, yeah. Breezepelt is a bad kitty- but I feel bad for him kinda. I mean, his life was kind of bad. But he still shouldn't have tried to kill cats._

**_Ravenflame: _**_Thank you! :) Also, you'll just have to wait and see!_

**_Stream that Flows Around Rock:_**_ Thank you! :) + Oh. You're cheering for Breezepelt? _

**_kate23816:_**_ Mhm. Breezepelt is tricking her. D:_

**_Guest:_**_ The last chapter- Crouchfoot and Larkwing are having a bad time because she doesn't really want kits- or something. I dunno. They were kind of irrelevant- they were just part of the plot in the last chapter so that Fawnpaw would agree to go hunting alone, so Breezepelt could approach her. + Yeah. Mapleshade just escapes somehow, along with Thistleclaw, apparantly. _

**_Cookie Platter:_**_ Yeah, Tigerpaw :D Proclaim your love! _

**_Warrior Fan:_**_ Thank you:) And, to answer your question- I'm a girl. :D_

**_Shira the Mage: _**_Yeah, his life did stink. Also, I know- he would be a lot of help to Tigerpaw if he turned good. But I can't say if he's going to stay evil or not. :3 Not gonna spoil it._

...

Firepaw winced slightly as she pushed herself up by her strong fore-arms, keeping her back legs behind her, and lifting her muzzle to glance at the sky. Jayfeather had told her that she couldn't leave the den for a few sunrises still, but she had recovered enough to start doing some exercises so that she would be at least fit when she left. So, of course, he had given her a list of exercises to do each day- and Briarlight was overlooking her to see if she was doing them properly.

"Good, stay like that for a heartbeats." Briarlight suggested, pushing herself up effortlessly onto her hind-paws, watching Firepaw. Of course, since the ginger she-cat's legs were usable, her exercises were naturally different than Briarlight's.

Gritting her teeth, the ginger she-cat stretched herself so she was in that position. It made her muscles tense, and her stomach tightened as she began to huff for breath just from this position. She held it for a few heartbeats before she flopped down onto the ground, groaning with effort.

"I'm tired," Firepaw complained. She had been doing all kinds of different exercises, and she realized with dismay that she was not fit at all since that moon of rest. Briarlight was probably five times stronger than her. Briarlight was still helping out- cleaning the medicine cat's den, sorting the herbs, being a kind of assistant to Jayfeather.

Briarlight blinked sympathetically at her, amber eyes warm. "I was tired too. Here, you can stop for today. Maybe tomorrow you'll do more." The dark brown she-cat told her kindly.

"Thanks," But Firepaw bit her tongue. She didn't want to quit the exercises- they were to make her fit. But they were boring and difficult and the ginger she-cat was exhausted. Deciding to step out of her nest, she padded into the clearing.

Her eyes sought out a certain tabby. As they settled on his pelt, alarm lanced through Firepaw- along with fear. Then a forlorn feeling swirled in her stomach, and she bit her lip. Almost instinctively, she began to back away from the tom, stumbling over her own paws to get back to the medicine cat's den.

He was her best friend. But she knew that Thistleclaw wanted something from him. Out of all of the strong warriors and the apprentices in the whole clan- him. A cat from the dark forest wanted something from _Tigerpaw. _

Tigerpaw glanced up- almost as if he knew he was being watched. His face immediately brightened, eyes lighting up- as he spotted Firepaw. Whispering a rushed goodbye to his sister, he leapt to his paws and immediately bounded happily over to the ginger she-cat.

_Oh, Tigerpaw, if only you knew. _The she-cat thought miserably as she watched him approach her. As the forlorn feeling in her stomach began to grow, she felt something inside of her speaking in a slight distant way.

"Hi, Tigerpaw." She meowed, trying to sound as light as possible.

"Hi, Firepaw!" He meowed happily, ears twitching. "I haven't seen you around lately. Are you okay?" He looked genuinely concerned. Usually Firepaw at least came out and greeted him- but as she had stayed in the medicine cat den, plagued with more and more nightmares of Thistleclaw shouting warnings to her about Tigerpaw.

The ginger she-cat frowned a bit, evading her friend's gaze. "I'm just busy." She mumbled, the lie stinging her mouth. Shame seared her pelt- she was lying to her best friend! "You know, exercises and stuff."

"Oh." Tigerpaw blinked, frowning a little. "Okay."

"Firepaw!" A ginger she-cat called to her, green eyes glowing. Squirrelflight. Her mother had been talking to her, more and more, but still not as much as she talks to Owlpaw. But Firepaw was still satisfied enough- especially right now, as her mother was saving her from this awkward conversation.

"Yeah, I… I have to go." Firepaw meowed quickly, trying to swerve around the dark brown tabby.

"Wait Firepaw!" He called after her.

But she had already run over to her mother. As she shot a quick glance over her shoulder, she saw him standing there alone- looking crestfallen.

Her mother greeted her with a friendly meow- but her daughter did take note of the suspicious glare through slit eyes that she cast in Tigerpaw's direction. Often, when Firepaw talked to him, her mother had called her away. Sometimes it was useful, sometimes it was annoying.

"Is Tigerpaw really your best friend?" Squirrelflight meowed, frowning.

Firepaw nodded, startled. "Yeah…" She frowned, "Why?"

The ginger she-cat shrugged, but still looked uneasy. "I just think you can do so much better, you know?" Squirrelflight meowed, eyes clouding over. "Why not Dewpaw or Molewhisker or someone like that?"

Firepaw's jaw dropped, and she stared in pure astonishment at her mother. "Tigerpaw is my friend. Not my mate." She reminded her mother, but she felt her chest feel a little warm at the mention of Tigerpaw being her mate. Scowling, she shook it off. She couldn't have a mate. Not yet. She was going to be a warrior- then deputy. After she had a secured spot as the deputy- then perhaps she might have time for love.

Maybe.

"I know," Squirrelflight meowed, but she still looked agitated. "Just… stay away from Tigerpaw, okay?"

Firepaw's eyes widened in disbelief, "You can't tell me what to do!" She exclaimed. _You've only begun to mother me a few days ago! You can't do that! _She bit her tongue to prevent her from shouting out the words in anger. "I can be friends with whoever I want to. Besides, he _saved _my life! Don't you care about that?"

The deputy blinked at her daughter, looking cross. "Firepaw, you have to do what I say! I'm your mother."

_So typical. _Firepaw thought mutinously, pinning her ears against her head. Shaking her head, she lashed her tail once and stormed off- trying to make it as dramatic as possible. Her mother had finally stopped treating her as if she were invisible- but now she was reprimanding Firepaw about her choice of friends? If she had really been a good mother- then the ginger she-cat wouldn't have been so lonely that she had been forced to reach out to the odd dark brown tabby.

Not that she regretted it, of course. He was actually probably the best thing that had happened to her- but she just couldn't speak to him. Sometimes, she felt flustered and hot and anxious and awkward and her heart began to beat really fast. The other times, she felt a forlorn feeling in her stomach, dread, horror, disgust, clawing at her throat, seeming to rip apart her speech.

Angrily snatching a mouse from the fresh-kill pile, she plopped down in the middle of clearing and began to eat it in quick, ravenous gulps. As soon as she finished eating, she got to her paws, and ready to storm off- she ran straight into the cat she had been dreading to run into. _Owlpaw._

"Hey…" The white-pawed she-cat meowed nervously, looking thoroughly awkward and also embarassed. "Can we talk?"

Firepaw scowled at her sister, "No." With that, she turned around to leave, but her sister tugged on her tail. Owlpaw's eyes were wide and pleading, as if she were begging her sister.

"Please?" Owlpaw meowed, looking desperate. "I… I'm not going to ask for forgiveness or anything. I just want you to listen to me. Can we… can we go for a walk?"

"I'm not allowed to leave camp." Firepaw made sure to keep her face a stony mask, her voice cold as she regarded her. Owlpaw. The one who had cost her so much pain- the one who had almost made her lose her best friend.

"Please." Was all Owlpaw meowed, looking at her sister. There was so much pain and regret in her eyes- the emotions so sincere, that the ginger she-cat sighed, reluctantly agreeing to go.

Firepaw picked herself up, "Fine," She snapped. "But if you start to do your crazy lying again, I swear to StarClan, I'll shred you!" Of course Firepaw wouldn't do so- but she wanted her sister to know not to mess with her again. It wasn't fun the last time Owlpaw had begun to spin tales- and if she decided to do so again, Firepaw had a sure guarantee that it wouldn't be fun this time either.

The two sisters padded out of camp, side by side. However- their flanks weren't touching. They stood a good mouse-length apart, with Owlpaw staring anxiously at her sister, and Firepaw staring warily at her sister.

The ginger she-cat followed her sister, and they swerved through the forest- avoiding trees and brambles, and as they finally reached their destination- Firepaw's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You brought me to the mossy clearing?" She exclaimed. "To this tree? To the one I fell out of?" Snapping her jaws shut, she realized her sister didn't know anything.

"Don't worry." Owlpaw muttered, looking almost spooked. "I'm not going to scream to camp about your falling out of the tree." With that, she lead her sister to the side of the tree, where the edge of the mossy clearing was. Owlpaw ducked under a clump of brambles, twigs jabbing her in the side. Seeing her sister's reluctance, she rolled her eyes, "Hurry up. Just come."

Hesitant, Firepaw leaned forward. Her pelt was tattered enough- but her sister looked as if she really needed to tell something. Sighing heavily, she cursed the goodness in her own heart. Then she padded forward. Tentatively, she dropped into a crouch and flattened herself as low as she could go, before squeezing herself under the clump of brambles. Hissing in pain each time a stray twig jabbed her in the side, she snapped in complaint, "Why are we under this clump of brambles?"

"Come to where I am!"

Firepaw squeezed towards her sister. The side of the tree that she had fallen out of had a whole clump of brambles covering the right side- but there were always so many twigs that nobody bothered to go near it. However, as she reached her sister- her eyes widened. There was a hole in the tree.

"An abandoned fox den?" Firepaw exclaimed, confused. "What? When did a fox live here! Did they really struggle about with these brambles everyday?"

Owlpaw looked irritated. "Did you fall on your head?" She meowed, sounding annoyed. "There isn't fox scent at all- meaning that the rain must have washed it away many, many times. The fox obviously lived here before the undergrowth became so thick and the brambles covered up the entrance to it's den."

"Okay…" Firepaw meowed, not seeming bothered by her sister's irritation. Squeezing through the last of the brambles, she tripped over a root and almost tumbled directly into the fox's den. Beginning to slide forward, she was interrupted by a shout.

"Wait!" Owlpaw shouted to her. Her sister froze, glancing back up to her sister. She was still crouched beneath the brambles, but her eyes were wide with alarm. "Before we go in- theres something I have to tell you." She took a deep breath, eyes darkening with regret. "I'm sorry- Firepaw. I didn't mean to hurt you- it's just… You were always the favorite, you know?" She meowed, shoulders slumping. "Mother told me about your-" Her eyes flashed with alarm and she snapped her jaw shut. Firepaw felt a prickle of unease. "I mean, before you snuck out of camp and you had gotten so tired, Bramblestar and Squirrelflight clearly loved you more. They always played with you. You always got the best piece of fresh-kill."

Firepaw opened her jaws to snap at her sister- Owlpaw had gotten their parents attention for far longer than she did! But her sister continued.

"The worst part was Tigerpaw." Owlpaw meowed, drawing in a shaky breath. "He was so kind, so handsome, so sweet. You hated him however- but he was obsessed with you." A strange light entered her eyes, and she sounded almost as if she were in a trance. "Do you know how it felt? To hear him complain about how you hated him- and how he wanted to be your friend… when I loved him? It felt like a thousand claws ripping into my pelt, through the flesh, and digging straight into my heart."

Taking a step back- so she almost stepped into the fox's abandoned den, Firepaw's eyes widened with an almost fear of her sister.

"For a while… I thought he had finally begun to blossom feelings for me. The feelings I had so desperately waited for. He was trapped in a rabbit hole- a rabbit hole that you had dug. Every time he began to claw his way out, his claws slipped, and he fell back down. However, one time… I caught his paw and he was almost out of the rabbit hole…" Her eyes became distant. "Then you liked him back," Then her voice twisted into a snarl. "You liked him back! And he loved you! Do you know how much it hurt? For someone I had loved for- cared for- I listened to him, I took care of him! Then he just left me. For you. All it took was one sunrise for him to fall in love with you- even though I had been by his side ever since we were kits!"

The ginger she-cat was stunned into silence. She had no idea that her sister was so in love with him.

"I was angry, and I guess my anger made me go a little crazy," Owlpaw admitted, lowering her head. "I was the one. The one who told him how to get to you. I have been his helper the whole time." She looked ashamed, her eyes falling to the ground. "It was all my fault!" Her jaws opened in a soundless wail, as she tipped her head back. "It's my fault Snowheart is dead." She meowed hoarsely, as if she was staring into nothing.

Seeing her sister so miserable, Firepaw stepped forward, wanting to rest her tail on her sister's shoulder. To offer her some kind of silent support. Some comfort. But Owlpaw almost got poked in the eye by a twig trying to scramble away from her sister, panic slicing across her face.

"I know who tried to kill you." Owlpaw whispered, bowing her head. "It was Breezepelt."

Thats when everything fell into place.

Firepaw screamed.

_"It's just that I like Tigerpaw." Owlpaw announced, smiling in a sickeningly sweet way. "And he says he likes me."_

_The ginger she-cat stopped in her tracks, the world spinning around her. Her stomach clenched and she felt sick, bile rising in her throat. "W-what?" She stuttered._

_Tigerpaw had… laid next to her. He had comforted her. No. She refused to believe it. The memory of last night darted through her mind, as vivid as if it had happened just a while ago._

_"Yeah." Owlpaw's voice jerked her out of the flashback. "And… he already asked me to be his mate."_

_Firepaw narrowed her eyes incredulously. "You're lying." _

_Owlpaw smiled maliciously, showing teeth. "He already told me about how he was training you at midnight. About how you kept flirting with him, falling asleep on purpose beside him. He thought it was pathetic." _

_Suddenly the ginger she-cat's throat felt dry, and she couldn't meet her sister's eyes. Tigerpaw… Tigerpaw had told her? He had promised! He had promised to keep their training a secret, because Firepaw was embarrassed about it. How could he do this? How could he tell Owlpaw about it?_

Her mind spinning. It was Owlpaw's fault. She had caused Firepaw to get so angry that she had left Tigerpaw- and instead gone to Breezepelt. She had fallen straight into their trap.

_Breezepelt could teach her better- he was a warrior. And he was WindClan, which made him forbidden. She would prove to Tigerpaw that she didn't need him, and after she completely iced him out- completely showed to him she couldn't care less about him, then they could stop meeting._

_A wave of hatred for Tigerpaw washed over her, so strong she she almost stopped breathing. She forced herself to remain calm as she looked up at the black tom._

_Breezepelt could be the key to her revenge._

_For now she would have to pretend she liked him, just so he would agree._

_She smiled innocently up at him. "Okay. Lets do it."_

Everything fell into place. Her sister had caused her to be the one who had hated Tigerpaw. Without her sister, she would never have gotten so angry. Without her anger, she never would have accepted Breezepelt's offer. It was Owlpaw's fault that she and Tigerpaw almost died. Snowheart's death was all Owlpaw's fault.

"You… you betrayed me!" Firepaw spat, fury coursing through her. "I thought you were my sister! I thought you loved me! Cared about me!" Forgetting about the bramble situation, she wrestled through the brambles and tried to get to her sister. Aiming a heavy blow to Owlpaw's head, she slashed her claws across her sister's ear. But Owlpaw didn't try to fight back, just blinked miserably at her.

"I can't live with what I've done." Owlpaw whispered. "You don't understand…" She trailed off, looking so bewildered. So stricken. "I never meant for anyone to die." Her lip began to tremble, "I was blinded by anger." Now she was bawling, bowing and shaking violently. "I'm sorry, Firepaw! I'm so sorry!"

"I…" Firepaw was going to say something, but Owlpaw cut her off.

"I don't want to die." Owlpaw whispered. "I'm a coward." Her eyes darkening, she bowed her head. "I hid his body. I was the one who prevented all of ThunderClan from finding Breezepelt. I can't live with myself. I'm too scared to suicide." She looked as if she were going to hold her breath.

"So… what are you-" Firepaw was cut off when her sister twisted around, despite the twigs raking themselves across the dark brown pelt, and her hind-paws smacked into her sister's jaw. Firepaw was sent stumbling backwards, doubling over in shock, as she skidded down and landed in a heap in the fox's abandoned den.

Owlpaw shook her head. "I'm so sorry, sister. I… I do love you. And Squirrelflight and Bramblestar." She glanced at the fox's den. "Don't worry- there's no fox. You'll be perfectly safe. This is just… a distraction." Lowering her gaze, she whispered quietly, "Goodbye sister."

With that, she spun around and fought her way through the brambles, leaving the branches and twigs rattling in her wake. Firepaw leapt to her paws, ready to hare after her sister- but something distracted her. There was something furry beneath her paw.

Slowly, she lowered her gaze. A mangled, decaying corpse stood below her. The flesh was rotting, but there was tansy and lavender and dirt rubbed all over it to cover the smell of decay and death. The fur was matted, and there was dried blood clumped all over his pelt. His eyes were wide open- glazed over. The body was still, lifeless. His face was frozen in a snarl.

She knew immediately who it was. Breezepelt.

Firepaw screamed again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>I have a question guys. I'm looking at the title of this fanfiction: Thawing A Frozen Heart... and it sounds kinda cliché to me. Unoriginal, boring, bad. ): <strong>_

**_Do you guys think that I should change the title? Yes, no? Do you guys have any suggestions on what I could change it to? Because I'm not sure... but I also really think that Thawing A Frozen Heart is extremely cliche._**


	24. Twenty-Three: Tiger

_I'm going to be on away for four or five days, so I decided to post this chapter up today. Anyway, thank you for all the reviews/favs/ and follows! I can't believe we are at 60 favorites! :D Also, I'm really tired and it is late because I just wanted to get this chapter up for you guys- so I'm not going to do review replies this time. _

_Also- to answer Stealthstar's question (how can Breezepelt appear to them if he's dead): Firepaw met him in a dream, when she dreamed herself into the Dark Forest. The way Fawnpaw met him was that he appeared to her in his ghost-like/shadowy form or whatever (I'm pretty sure that they can do that) and talked to him- but he wasn't capable of doing much. He wouldn't be able to touch her or anything._

_As for the title dilemma, I'm going to let you guys think about it for a few days. I don't mind changing it or not- this is just if you guys really want to change it. Some people are offering new ones, but a few are saying that they like this title. I think this title quite fits- but it does, indeed, sound rather cliche._

_Anyway, on with the chapter!_

...

Tigerpaw had been on patrol when he heard the scream. He immediately knew who it was. Firepaw. His heart felt as if it were ripped in two- why did tragedy keep striking the young, beautiful apprentice? What was it about her that was so irresistible to darkness? Was something in her heart so strong that the blackness wanted to vanquish it forever? To finally still that pumping heart?

"Was that Firepaw?" Hollypaw gasped, her head swerving to the side and fixing Tigerpaw in an intense gaze. Their two mentors, Mousewhisker and Blossomfall, widened their eyes. "Is she hurt?"

Immediately, the tortoiseshell she-cat charged forward, her eyes narrowed in concentration. The patrol leapt to their paws and bounded after her, each and every one of their hearts pounding against their rib cage.

Firepaw shouldn't have even been out of camp! Leafpool hadn't declared her quite ready to start her training again. They picked up a whiff of her scent, and began to follow her trail. It was mingled with Owlpaw's, but the fear scent was strong. They began to run faster, bursting into the mossy clearing.

Mousewhisker lashed his tail anxiously. "Where is she?" He demanded, eyes narrowing as he swerved his gaze around the clearing. "I don't see her. The scent trail just ends at this clump of brambles."

The dark gray apprentice's eyes lit up as if she had an idea. "Wait. I think I know where she might be." With that, she flattened herself to the ground and wiggled forward, squeezing beneath the clump of brambles. "You guys should stay back- you're too big to fit in something like this."

Every single time Tigerpaw heard his sister wince in pain, and a wail come from Firepaw, his heart twisted and his stomach clenched. Waiting was agony. Raking his paw across the ground, closing his eyes, he tried to concentrate on nothing and to stay still and just wait. It was the worst feeling in the world.

The feeling of the unknown.

"She's over here!" Hollypaw called, voice loud. "Blossomfall, can you squeeze in and help me get her out?"

"Hey!" Tigerpaw shouted over the clump of brambles, his pelt bristling. "What about me?"

"You're too big, mouse-brain! Those brambles will shred you." The dark gray she-cat meowed, sounding exasperated. "I need Blossomfall's help!"

With that, the tortoiseshell she-cat immediately lowered herself to the ground, and almost as quickly as his sister- she had vanished beneath the clump of brambles. There were just twigs rattling, the little buds of new leaves quivering.

The gray-and-white tom exchanged a glance with Tigerpaw. "There's nothing to do but to wait now." Mousewhisker meowed heavily, sighing. "And to pray to StarClan that they are okay."

Tigerpaw dropped into a crouch, ready to dive forward and fend off any attackers that could be attacking them. But there were no attackers. There was hushed whispering from behind the brambles, and he could still hear the whimpers and sobs escaping from his best friend's mouth. Yet, they didn't re-appear in front of the brambles. He sat there, waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

With each pound of his heart, he cringed. Blood was roaring in his ears- almost, but not yet loud enough to drown out his hammering heartbeat. He tasted a metallic, blood-like taste in his mouth, and swallowed heavily- realizing that his throat was dry. It felt like trying to swallow a thorn- as it scratched the sides of his throat as he swallowed.

He waited.

He heard Firepaw's whimpers begin to die down.

And waited.

The ginger she-cat was almost silent now, as she began to calm down.

And waited.

Firepaw was silent.

Tigerpaw felt as if he was going to tear out his fur in frustration.

"Why are they taking so long!" Tigerpaw almost screamed in exasperation, eyes wild.

Mousewhisker looked slightly anxious, but he shrugged, trying to look as calm as possible. "Maybe somebody's fur got stuck in the bramble." The gray-and-white tom mumbled, evading the dark brown tabby tom's eyes. He was hiding the truth- the truth being that he was worried as well.

Then a sound split the air. It was high-pitched, filled with horror and fear and disgust. It was piercing and it shattered through the silence of the forest. But it wasn't Firepaw. It was Hollypaw.

"Hollypaw!" The dark brown tabby tom yelled, his heart beginning to pound against his chest, his heartbeat roaring in his ears. "Are you okay?" Slamming his paw down onto the ground in frustration, he cast a quick glance at the older tom beside him.

Mousewhisker squared his shoulders, fixing his gaze firmly onto the ground. "Hollypaw?" He meowed worriedly, raising his gaze as he searched around for his apprentice. "Are you okay?"

But there was no reply.

"What is going on?" Tigerpaw gasped, his chest heaving as he slowly began to panic. The dark brown tabby tom was ready to jump into the brambles and wrestle his way through the sharp twigs to reach them- just as the clump of brambles began to rattle. The twigs rattled like bones, and he cringed slightly- uncertain of what was going to come out. The first cat that came out was Hollypaw.

The dark gray she-cat's fur was on end, sticking up, and her eyes were wide with alarm. She looked thoroughly spooked, putting one paw slowly yet carefully in front of the other. Behind her came Firepaw, who looked haunted, her eyes dull with horror, and nudging her forward was Blossomfall. Even the tortoiseshell she-cat's fur was fluffed up, and she looked disturbed.

As soon as Firepaw caught sight of Tigerpaw however, she burst into a run and dashed forward, tears streaming from her cheeks. She knocked him off his paws, and he let out a grunt of shock as he toppled over. She was lying beside him, her muzzle pressed into his fur as she cried.

The dark brown tabby's eyes widened with shock but also fear. And of course- affection. He admitted that he was happy in a way with her next to his side. Curling his tail around her, he gently rasped his tongue over her ear. He could hear the heart-wrenching sobs being dragged out of her, her whole body racking with violent shudders as she cried and trembled.

_What happened? _Tigerpaw mouthed towards his sister, unwilling to say anything in case he would disturb Firepaw. Almost anxiously, he wrapped his tail tight around her slender body, pulling her close to him. They felt so perfect together- their bodies just fit together perfectly.

Hollypaw seemed to look straight through Tigerpaw, but she replied back- her voice sounding monotone. "Breezepelt's dead." The emotionless way of which she spoke it sent chills down his spine, and he shivered inwardly. But he had already known that. Of course Breezepelt had died. Snowheart had died _for _him.

"I know." Tigerpaw meowed, bewildered. Firepaw's head was resting on his flank now, and he tried not to breathe as loudly or talk as loudly in fears of disturbing her rest. "Why are you telling me this now?"

Hollypaw looked completely distraught and disgusted as she spoke, warily glancing at Tigerpaw's mentor. Blossomfall was still- looking completely startled and rooted to the spot. "Breezepelt's body…" She meowed slowly, blinking her eyes hard. "It's… it's… it's in the abandoned fox den." Seeing the blank look on Tigerpaw's face, she added, "That is inside of the tree."

His jaw feeling as if it had dropped, the dark brown tabby tom stared at her. "Breezepelt's body?" He gasped, eyes darkening with shock.

As he said the words, Firepaw's breathing began to increase rapidly. Her eyes widened and seem to be glazing over, and Tigerpaw stared at her in horror.

"Whats happening?" He cried out.

Hollypaw lashed her tail in fear for her friend. "I think she's going into shock!" She exclaimed. "We need to take her to the medicine cat's den."

Immediately, without waiting for orders, Tigerpaw leapt to his paws and tried to nudge Firepaw to her paws. But the ginger she-cat didn't seem to be moving, and he exchanged a fearful glance with his mentor. Blossomfall seemed to snap out of her still state, and dashed over with Mousewhisker on her heels. Blossomfall gently grabbed Firepaw by the scruff and placed her as well as she could on the gray-and-white tom's back.

"Hollypaw, go back to camp and tell Leafpool to get some herbs." Mousewhisker ordered his apprentice, sounding slightly strained under the weight of the apprentice. He padded forward firmly, Tigerpaw and Blossomfall flanking him and making sure that the green-eyed apprentice wouldn't slide off his back and injure herself physically.

The dark brown tabby tom's whole body felt numb as he stared at her. Firepaw had gone through so much. Too much for any cat her age to be able to handle! Her sister lying to her, her parents ignoring her, almost being killed, then getting so injured she had to wait a moon, and now this. Stumbling into a fox's abandoned den and finding the corpse of the very same tom that had tried to kill her. She was only nine moons old, for StarClan's sake!

The patrol walked slowly but silently.

Tigerpaw tried to look around at the forest as he walked, but suddenly he felt tiredness weighing his limbs and his eyelids. He felt the urge to fall asleep from sheer exhaustion. Deciding to concentrate on putting one paw in front of the other, the tabby tom padded forward quietly, his stripes rippling against his pelt.

As they finally reached camp- the dark brown tabby saw that Jayfeather and Leafpool were standing there. And Squirrelflight and Bramblestar and his own parents and a lot of other cats. Leafpool, Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were looking especially worried.

Some of the other cats looked slightly suspicious and worried, and although he had to strain to hear, the dark tabby could pick up bits and pieces of conversations.

"…always getting hurt."

"So many tragedies…"

"Maybe… for attention?"

Tigerpaw began to bristle at the last comment, because it was sort of an accusation. Of course Firepaw wasn't doing this for attention! She wouldn't kill someone she loved for attention. She wouldn't startle herself into such shock all for attention.

He felt himself get rushed to the side as parents and the medicine cat's squeezed forward, desperate to reach Firepaw. Hollypaw was sitting there as well, eyes wide and round as moons. The two of the she-cats sat there quietly, but Hollypaw was moving around and she had buried her muzzle in her mother's fur. But Firepaw was just sitting there.

She looked numb. Blank. Expressionless.

Firepaw didn't move or speak, but her gaze was locked with Tigerpaw's. Her beautiful green gaze never left his face- as if she were studying every feature closely. Emotions shimmered in her eyes as she glanced at him for just a heartbeat, but then it was gone again. Then she opened her mouth and uttered two words.

"Owlpaw's gone."

With that, she snapped her jaws shut and sat silently, and completely still. The cats of the clan pondered about the two words, wondering what it could mean. Firepaw seemed to be staring desperately at Tigerpaw, as if she wanted him to explain. But how could he? He didn't know what she meant, either.


	25. Twenty-Four: Fire

_Well, I'm back. Thanks for all the reviews/favs/follows! :) I really appreciated them. I can't believe we're at 62 favs, 84 follows, and 351 reviews! :O :D Thank you guys so much!_

_Anyway, in this chapter, we get to see how Squirrel/Bramble/ThunderClan react to Owlpaw's disappearance! :D I also just realized, that FirexTiger is so similar to SquirrelxBramble. Firestar's daughter/Firestar (both gingers with green eyes) and Tigerstar's son/Tigerstar (both dark brown tabby with amber eyes) _

_Also, most people have said that they liked the title- so I've decided to keep 'Thawing A Frozen Heart'. I guess it kinda does match the story- as she is thawing his frozen heart. :O_

_Review Replies:_

**_So Cheesy: _**_Thanks, I try. + Thank you lols, I hope the trip goes well._

**_Graystorm11:_**_ Haha, :P I know... I'm so mean to poor Firepaw, but it's okay because she has Tigerpaw to make her feel better! ^_^_

**_Moonbeam141: _**_Owlpaw didn't kill herself- because she stated that she was afraid of suicide/death, and she wasn't brave enough to do so. So that leaves one option. She ran away. 0:_

**_Stream That Flows Around Rock: _**_Mhm. The FirexTiger fluff was good, hehe. :P And yeah, Owlpaw really is gone. She threw herself into self-exile. xD_

**_Swimming Trees:_**_ Thanks! :D Also, don't worry- I'm back! ^_^ Anyway, in this chapter- you'll be finding out how Squirrel/Bramble feel about this whole Owlpaw situation._

**_Stealthstar of StealthClan: _**_No problem. :) + Nobody knows where Owlpaw really is. dun dun dun..._

**_FrostFall37:_**_ Indeed it is. :O_

**_Ravenflame2025: _**_Thank you so much! :) Here is my update~_

**_Timberbreeze of ThunderClan: _**_Owlpaw is in self-exile, but she is currently alive. :D_

**_Amberflame805:_**_ I know, right. Finding a corpse- everyones favorite activity. xD _

**_billy the cat: _**_wat? ^_^_

**_Sparrow:_**_ Thank you a lot! :) + yeah, the previous chapters have been pretty intense. :0 But it's still building up to the main like plot._

**_bomby123:_**_ Thank you :D + I'm sorry, but thats not whats going to happen, because I've already got the plot figured out. :P But that sounds pretty interesting, lols. :D_

**_poopadoop:_**_ Ikr, Owlpaw. Why D: You still have a few fans, although you lied and stuff. ): + Breezepelt has a lot of haters it seems, xD_

**_kate23816: _**_Yeah, everything seems to be going crazy. 0:_

**_Guest:_**_ Those are actually really great names, :) but I've decided to stick with Thawing A Frozen Heart. Thanks for them in though. :O_

**_Wood Cats: _**_I can reply to your previous chapter, if you want. :P Here it is. Well, I decided not to change the title after all. ^_^ Also, I'm not going to reveal anything about anybody's deaths, because that will spoil the story. :P_

**_Bobbie1776: _**_Yeah. D: The dark forest and Breezepelt and Owlpaw should all leave her alone- but thats not going to be the case. xD Also, I don't know that book. Is it good?_

**_Lazy watermelon: _**_Yeah, I do think that it is actually a little dramatic, but I guess that helps to build the intensity? Idk. ;P Also, thank you! ^_^ + Breezepelt's part was really nasteh. D;_

**_Coralstorm: _**_I'm sorry, but I'm not christian. :( I don't know how to pray, but I guess I could say something at like, 11:11, and say that I hope your friend gets better- but I dunno if it'll work._

...

A slender ginger she-cat sat there, eyes narrowed in determination. "No. I'm not going to stay in that medicine cat den for one night longer." She didn't shout, but her voice was icy calm. "I won't." Shaking her head angrily, she shoved past her aunt and stomped into the clearing.

Eyes fell on her pelt everywhere she walked. She had become quite famous, in fact. They all knew her- the she-cat that had almost died. The one who had been unfortunate enough to stumble upon his corpse. The one who got injured, and missed a moon of her training. The one who had fallen into shock, but managed out two words, of which nobody could understand.

Firepaw knew that the two medicine cats' were still watching her, and she kept her ears pricked to pick up a bit of their conversation.

Leafpool watched her go, sighing heavily. She tilted her head and fixed her gaze on her apprentice, "What do you think? She seemed to have recovered a lot faster this time."

"Yeah she did." Jayfeather grunted, looking slightly miffed that the ginger she-cat had rejected their advice to stay in the medicine cat's den where they could keep an eye on her.

As the she-cat bounded towards her mother and father, her mother sat up in surprise. "Firepaw? What are you doing out here?" Squirrelflight sat up in shock. The vole dropped from her jaws, where Bramblestar shrugged and promptly took a bite out of it. He looked rather relaxed, despite his mate's shock and uncertainty.

"What do you think?" Firepaw meowed, rolling her eyes. "I'm here waiting for you. You are my mentor, after all. Now, lets go train. I'm behind enough already!" The words came out in a flurry; she spoke rapidly so her mother wouldn't be able to interrupt her.

Bramblestar purred with amusement at the horrified expression on Squirrelflight's face. "Absolutely not!" She gaped, ears twitching. "You're still not fit enough to train yet!"

"What?" Firepaw leapt to her paws, lashing her tail in protest. "That's nonsense! I'm perfectly okay this time."

It was true. The ginger she-cat had only been in the medicine cat's den for the night. During that night, she stayed awake and just thought hard. Thinking about Owlpaw- and how her sister must be. Thinking about Tigerpaw and Snowheart and Tigerstar and Thistleclaw and Breezepelt and her parents. She felt an awful guilty churning in her stomach as she thought about Owlpaw. She felt her heart twist with affection as she thought about the two toms- one dark brown, the other one white. She felt a surge of anger but also fear in her stomach as she thought about the three dangerous toms- Tigerstar, Thistleclaw and Breezepelt. And for her parents… it was conflicted. She felt a slight affection for them, but to Squirrelflight she still felt mostly numbness and anger. Her mother had never really explained why she had ignored her own daughter for so many moons.

The leader of ThunderClan looked thoughtful, licking his whiskers as he finished the vole. "I agree with Firepaw." He meowed, gently touching his cheek to her head. "She's a lot better, and I think you should go train her. She's already missed out on a moon's training- and she is going to fall behind the other apprentices- including her sister!"

"Why don't we patrol with your sister, then." Squirrelflight suggested, still looking reluctant. Getting to her paws, the ginger she-cat waved her bushy tail against the ground.

Panic made Firepaw's heart skip a beat. Leaping in front of her mother, she opened her jaws and closed them again. "No!" She blurted out.

Looking bemused, the she-cat tilted her head to the side. "Why not?" She meowed, bewildered. At the same time, Brackenfur stepped out of the apprentice's den, eyes wide with surprise.

"Where's Owlpaw?" He exclaimed, shocked.

_Damn it. _Firepaw winced. She had no idea where her sister was- but she knew it wasn't ThunderClan. She didn't want the camp to go into an uproar just yet. She wanted to give her sister time to get far, far away. Last night, she had blurted out, 'Owlpaw's gone', but when she thought about it… well, she decided she didn't want others to find out so soon. Something made her stomach clench- a possibility. Maybe she was hiding it… because she really did want her sister gone. _No. That can't be true… I don't want Owlpaw gone, do I? _Feeling unsure, she took a step back, pinning her ears to her head.

Squirrelflight's head swerved to side, fixing Firepaw in an intense gaze. "Firepaw?" She meowed slowly, "Do you know anything about this? Is this what you meant by saying that Owlpaw's gone?"

The ginger she-cat cringed. "Um… no." She meowed, trying to sound honest.

"What's going on?" Spottedpaw meowed, bounding over with Tigerpaw on her heels. Hollypaw was still in the medicine cat's den- sleeping, she had been shocked and tired from the previous night's incident. "Why is everyone crowding around here?"

"Firepaw, are you okay?" Tigerpaw meowed, stopping beside his sister.

Of course his main concern would be Firepaw.

"No, I'm not." Firepaw muttered, slumping back down to the ground. Her ears burned with shame for not telling earlier- but also anger. It wasn't fair. Why? Now they would have to go and chase down Owlpaw, and bring her back- where she would continue to ruin Firepaw's life. Why did the ginger she-cat always have to be the sister who suffered?

Tigerpaw crouched down besides her, looking genuinely concerned. "Why? What's wrong?" He meowed, sounding worried.

"Owlpaw." Firepaw muttered, hanging her head. "She ran away."

Collective gasps rose around her, as the cats of the clan were shocked by the news. Especially Bramblestar and Squirrelflight. The two leapt to their paws, eyes wide with fear.

"Why would she run away?" Bramblestar meowed. His voice was calm, but Firepaw detected a quiver of fear and worry in it.

Firepaw's heart twisted in her chest. If she told about her sister, then she would have to say that she was meeting up with Breezepelt. Panic jolted through her, and her eyes stretched wide in dismay. Looking away, she was torn between telling and lying.

She honestly didn't know what to do.

"She… she ran off." Firepaw meowed quietly, "We were just talking." The ginger she-cat pinned her ears to her head, dropping into a low crouch. "She said something about…" Briefly, she glanced at Tigerpaw. His familiar triangular ears, his angular cheekbones, his pale amber eyes... Her heart twisted in her chest- if she said that her sister fell in love with Tigerpaw, would the clan be angry with him? Would they blame him for chasing her off? Most importantly- would he blame himself?

"Well?" Brackenfur meowed, almost impatient as he flicked his tail nervously, obviously concerned about his apprentice. "Said something about what?"

The ginger she-cat was panicking, and she cringed inwardly. Her mind flitted to a certain snow-furred tom, and she sent a silent apology to what she was about to do. "She was in love with Snowheart!" Firepaw almost shouted, her heart thumping against her head, blood pounding in her ears. "After he died… she was broken. She was talking to me, about all the regret- she said she couldn't stay anymore. If she stayed, then she wouldn't be able to move on. I'm sorry." _I really am sorry, Snowheart. _She was shaking all over from what she had just improvised, and her gaze grew misty as she thought about the real reason.

The real reason being her and Tigerpaw, and causing Owlpaw to be, as she called it, blinded by hatred and anger. The she-cat also remembered, that her sister had been the one to cause the death of Snowheart.

_So why didn't I just say that she was too guilty after causing Snowheart's death? _Firepaw wondered. She tried to tell herself that it was because then she would have to talk about Breezepelt… but she knew that wasn't the real reason. The real reason was that, as much as she hated to admit it- Firepaw cared for her sister. She didn't want to expose her sister to her clan- especially as Owlpaw's treachery was partially her own fault.

"She left… because Snowheart died?" Brackenfur meowed, looking shocked yet also doubtful. His golden-brown tabby fur was bristling, and he frowned.

Firepaw looked warily up at her sister's mentor. "Yes." She meowed, forcing her eyes not to dart back to the ground. "That's what she told me, anyway."

Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were looking shocked, grief-stricken, and horrified. "That can't be true!" The broad-shouldered leader exclaimed, his fur bristling. His mate nodded in agreement, but tears had sprung to her eyes. She looked away from her daughter and buried her face in her mate's fur, her tears streaming down his fur.

"I'm sorry…" Firepaw whispered, stepping back from her grieving parents.

Squirrelflight whirled around and fixed her daughter in an intense glare, her eyes like green flames. "You should have stopped her!" She snarled at her daughter, fur rising on her spine.

Tigerpaw's amber eyes flashed defensively, and he stepped protectively in front of her. "Hey!" He protested, lashing his tail. "It wasn't her fault. She couldn't have stopped Owlpaw, even if she tried. She fell right into the abandoned fox den!"

The young apprentice lowered her gaze again, her heart sinking like a stone. _But it was my fault. _She thought miserably. _If I had just been more considerate of Owlpaw's feelings- none of this would have happened. I just wanted to be cared about! _Closing her eyes, she stepped away from her mother.

"It's true." Bramblestar meowed, staring at his mate. "Don't blame Firepaw- it wasn't her fault." His voice rose slightly as he defended his other daughter. Squirrelflight was too tired and depressed to answer, and she fell to the ground, crying and wailing over her loss.

As the cats stared in shock at each other, grieving over the young apprentice, nobody noticed him. A pale gray tabby tom, his jay-blue eyes narrowing as he beckoned three cats towards him. The first being a fluffy gray she-cat, her belly slightly round with kits. The second was a muscular brilliant golden tabby tom. The last, the third, was a slender silver and white tabby she-cat. They withdrew from the crowd of cats silently, glancing at the blind medicine cat, stiffening slightly in alarm. They padded towards the exit of the camp- unguarded, as the guard, Birchfall, was in the middle of camp, his eyes wide as he too grieved over the lost apprentice.

Bramblestar had pulled away from his mate, and padded onto Highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highledge!" Although his voice wasn't as strong as before, it was effective still- and it echoed around the stone hollow.

Firepaw, however, was not going to stay for this. Looking pleadingly up at Tigerpaw, she whispered quietly, "Can we talk?" She meowed in a hushed tone. "I don't want to stay in this camp any longer."

He hesitated, glancing back at Squirrelflight- and how grief-stricken she was. "Wont your mother want you here? And your father?"

"I don't care about my mother." Firepaw snapped mutinously, obviously still not over the whole 'you should have stopped her' comment. "She's always liked Owlpaw better- and there's nothing I can do about that. But please come take a walk with me. There's something I have to tell you."

Tigerpaw nodded reluctantly, casting one last worried glance at Bramblestar and Squirrelflight before getting to his paws and padding after her.

Emotions swirled in Firepaw's chest as she led the way out of the camp, her heart pounding in her chest. He followed her, obviously oblivious. The ginger she-cat flushed red as she thought about what she was going to tell him. That it wasn't Snowheart that Owlpaw loved- but it was he. How she was angry and jealous and feeling betrayed when Owlpaw said that Tigerpaw loved her… because… because…

The ginger she-cat almost choked on the realization.

She was jealous of her sister and agreed to Breezepelt's terms…

She was _in love _with Tigerpaw.

Her pulse began to race, and she began to freak out mentally. _Oh my StarClan! I'm in love with him! Tigerpaw! My best friend! But we're just apprentices! Oh, mouse-dung. _Inwardly, the she-cat cursed, her heart doing flips in her chest. _Oh StarClan! _She thought with dread. _What if he doesn't like me back? _She began to scramble backwards, and tripped over her own paws and ended up sprawled on the ground. She felt embarrassment soak over her, and she flushed red.

"What's wrong, Firepaw?" The dark tabby meowed in concern, bounding over to her. He lightly nudged her to her paws, flicking her affectionately over her ears.

The ginger she-cat blushed fiercely. "Nothing."

"Well, what did you want to tell me then?" Tigerpaw asked curiously, tilting his head to the side. Firepaw froze- unsure of what to say, her eyes widening in horror. "Is this about Owlpaw?"

"Yes!" She meowed; sighing in relief as he reminded her what she originally came out here to tell him. "I lied to the whole clan." She mumbled, suddenly feeling ashamed, lowering her head. Firepaw sighed heavily, sitting down and wrapping her tail tightly around her paws. The ginger she-cat opened her jaws to speak, trying to push the whole 'in love with Tigerpaw' dilemma out of her head. At least until she finished saying what she had lied about.

Tigerpaw also sat, his eyes curious. "What did you lie about?"

"Owlpaw. She didn't leave because of Snowheart. She wasn't even in love with Snowheart." Firepaw's voice trailed off, and she felt her stomach twist into a knot- but she kept going. Somebody in this clan had to know the truth aside from her- she couldn't carry the burden alone. Not only that, but a part of her wanted to tell Tigerpaw. Tell him how she felt. "Owlpaw was in love with you."

The dark tabby stared in disbelief. "What?" He exclaimed, shaking his head wildly. "That's impossible. She never told me that she loved me…"

"It's true." Firepaw insisted. "Anyway, that wasn't the reason she ran away. Well, you see," Firepaw coughed anxiously. "Owlpaw actually talked to me before the gathering… and told me a lot of lies. She told me that you thought I was stupid, that I was pathetic, and she tricked me into thinking that the two of you liked each other. Loved each other." Tigerpaw looked as if he wanted to interrupt, but the ginger she-cat pressed onwards, not giving him time to comment.

"That same night, Breezepelt approached me. He convinced me to train with him, and… and I was angry with you. I thought you would feel the pain I felt if I ditched training with you and trained with someone else- especially someone that was from WindClan. Well… I didn't realize I condemned myself. Breezepelt later tried to kill me. Owlpaw made me angry on purpose- she knew that if I were angry I would accept Breezepelt's offer. Then, Snowheart died, and I suppose my sister couldn't handle the guilt. So she… so she left." She took a deep breath after she finished, evading her friend's gaze- afraid of what emotions those amber depths might hold.

"Wait." Tigerpaw blinked slowly, taking it all in. "You mean… Owlpaw was the one who basically tried to kill you? The one who caused Snowheart's death?" Firepaw, without lifting her gaze, nodded mutely. "I… I can't believe it."

"Are you angry at me?" Firepaw meowed quietly. "Because I accepted Breezepelt's offer."

Tigerpaw shuffled his paws, not replying. After a while, he finally meowed, "No." His voice was soft, gentle. "I'm not mad at you. Owlpaw tricked you- and Breezepelt was just a bad cat, and a murderer."

The ginger she-cat sighed in relief. "Thank StarClan."

Tigerpaw realized how depressed she looked, and seemed as if he were going to cheer her up. "So," He meowed jokingly. "Why would you think that me and Owlpaw loving each other is such a bad thing?" However playful he sounded, there was a serious, yet earnest gleam in his eyes that showed that he actually wanted a good answer.

"I don't know." Firepaw lied. She was afraid of rejection- and certainly didn't want her heart broken when she was so young.

"Don't worry." Tigerpaw purred lightly. "Owlpaw's pretty and all… but I prefer ginger fur."

Firepaw glanced self-consciously at herself, flushing a deep shade of red.

Tigerpaw looked embarrassed, and quickly added, "I actually thought that you were in love with Snowheart. You spent so much time with him, and you really seemed to care about him."

Firepaw smirked a little. "Don't worry," She meowed playfully. "I don't really like white fur as much. I like dark brown fur more."

Now it was his turn to be embarrassed, and he glanced down at his paws, shuffling them awkwardly. They sat like this for a while- awkward, embarrassed, and uncertain.

"I… I actually like someone else." Tigerpaw confessed, amber eyes round.

Her heart plummeted, and Firepaw tried to fight back the tears that were forming in her eyes. She forced herself to smile and sound playful as she replied.

"I also like someone else." She meowed, her voice trembling slightly.

Tigerpaw's ears flattened against his head. "Really?" He muttered quietly. "Is it Dewpaw?" He asked at the same time as Firepaw meowed, "Is it Lilyheart?"

"Nope." They both replied simultaneously.

Amber eyes met green, and warmth flooded between them. Then Firepaw coughed awkwardly, averting her gaze. Tigerpaw ducked away as well. Both apprentices were embarrassed.

"So, who do you like?" Firepaw meowed, her voice still quivering. _It has to be Seedwing then. _

"I… I'll tell you if you tell me who you like." Tigerpaw whispered.

It was silent between them, tension crackling like electricity. It was serious, and the two apprentices were too close. Their muzzles were less than half a mouse-length apart, as they stared into each other's eyes. Their pelts were bristling slightly with anticipation. The seriousness of the situation made the ginger she-cat uncomfortable, so she decided to act playful.

"I'll tell you if you can catch me!" Firepaw meowed, leaping to her paws and darting off. She heard a shout of protest from Tigerpaw, before the dark brown tabby leapt to his paws and raced after her. She swerved around trees, all thought about Owlpaw and her parents wiped from her mind.

Then she saw a rustling of brambles ahead of her, and low, hushed voices. She skidded to a halt. Tigerpaw dashed towards her, and opened his jaws to purr in triumph, but immediately she flicked her tail over his mouth. She narrowed her eyes, and angled her ears towards the brambles.

"Firepaw looks exactly like him. She has right ginger fur and an orange underbelly. Long tail. Same leaf-green eyes, and she has the makings of a fine warrior." Somebody was whispering.

Tigerpaw's eyes widened, his amber eyes reflecting the shock in Firepaw's own green eyes.

The dark tabby opened and closed his jaws, peering through the bramble bush. The four cats that were there were all important to ThunderClan history! Lionblaze, Jayfeather, Dovewing and Ivypool.

"My son is also like Tigerstar. Same dark pelt, same amber eyes. They both have such long claws- and Tigerpaw seems to excel at everything his mentor throws at him! And we all know that Blossomfall, having trained in the Dark Forest, is not an easy mentor. Tigerpaw is younger than the newest warriors- but he can almost beat them in fights. Not to mention, he's got that same scar. The one where his ear is split in a 'V' shape."

The dark brown tabby apprentice seemed to forget about being quiet, and his eyes widened in hurt and fear and confusion. "I'm not like Tigerstar!"

The voices from the other end of the brambles were silenced.

Firepaw groaned, "Mouse-brain!" She hissed quietly. Tigerpaw widened his eyes helplessly. Their cover was blown. So, Firepaw and her friend dropped into a low crouch and wiggled through the clump of brambles, where they stood face-to-face with the four discussing cats.

Lionblaze's eyes widened in horror as he saw his son, "Tigerpaw! I… I…"

"Save it." The dark brown tabby meowed, tears already forming at the edges of his eyes. "I can't believe you thought I would be like Tigerstar. You're my father! I thought you were going to support me! Instead, you just randomly go off and talk to other cats as if I'm some villain?"

"Not to mention- you guys talked about me too?" Firepaw piped up, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Tigerpaw looked stricken, and he turned around to leave, but a pale gray striped tail barred his way. Jayfeather stood there, eyes narrowed.

"No." Jayfeather meowed to Tigerstar. "We don't think you're a villain."

"We think you're the reincarnation of one."


	26. Twenty-Five: Tiger

_Here is chapter 25! Anyway, thank you for all the reviews, favs, and follows. :D I've decided to do Review Replies every other chapter. Anyway, in this chapter... Its going to be intense- and there will be a lot of realizations, and maybe a confession. :P_

...

"What?" Tigerpaw gasped, astonished. He began to feel his pelt bristle defensively, his ears pinning against his head, his tail fluffing up. "Me- Tigerstar?" He felt the she-cat by her side stiffen as well, recoiling in shock and most likely anger.

"Think about your past." Jayfeather meowed to him, his voice lacking emotion. He was completely serious- his jay-blue eyes seeming to bore into Tigerpaw's soul. "Anything seem suspicious to you? Reflect back to your past- for example when you seemed to be so interested in Tigerstar."

The talk they were having previously was pushed to the very back of his head, and right now he was focused on the swirl of emotions in his chest. Could it be true? They had called him Tigerstar in the dream… He had the same pelt as him, and the odd resemblance of the scar was true. He reflected to back when they were kits- that snowy day when they were lost, and he had known just where to go, just where the camp was. Could that have been because Tigerstar had explored their territory from the Dark Forest? All these dreams… of him, with Bramblestar dying at his paws… His burning ambition that sometimes threatened to overwhelm him, grasping his throat and choking him until he was out of breath and almost ready to give in. How Breezepelt acted so maniacally when he saw Tigerpaw, screaming about him being Tigerstar. His acing everything his mentor threw at him, being able to defeat warriors easily. His rapid growth rate, and how he was almost as large as Lionblaze now, his matching pelt with Bramblestar.

Stumbling backwards, and he suddenly felt as if he couldn't breathe. His throat seemed to have closed, and he was gulping in breaths of air, beginning to hyperventilate. He saw the mouths moving, but he heard no sound above the roar of the crashing wave of blood in his ear. Heard nothing aside from his own heart, beating hard and fast against his chest. His vision was spotted with black, and he struggled to keep his grip on consciousness. Pain lanced through him.

He felt as if something was tearing him apart from the inside. Like it was ripping his heart apart, claws digging into his heart, trying to still its beating. Voices whispered inside of him.

_Tigerstar… Must get revenge… Leader… Firestar that mouse-brained kittypet… Dark Forest… Plotting…_

A single voice rose above the others, drowning out the sound of his pounding heart and blood roaring in his ears. "Tigerpaw?" It was soft, gentle, sweet. His vision sharpened suddenly, before blurring again, and then he focused his eyes on the ginger blur standing above him. "Are you okay?"

The dark tabby choked on his breath, clawing himself to his paws. He staggered slightly, struggling to remain balanced. He felt as if he could hardly control his own body, and he crumpled back down to the ground, pressing his face against the ground. The cool soil from the earth pressed against his head, and when he opened his jaws he choked on a mouthful of dirt. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do- but he wasn't thinking straight.

Visions flashed before his eyes. A large brown tabby, similar to him… Pinestar. Once a leader of ThunderClan, but now he was leaving. Anger. Sadness. He was going to become a kittypet! Betrayal. Disgust. His sisters, two little she-kits; one a pale gray color, the other darker. Mistkit and Nightkit. Then they were gone. He had to squeeze his eyes shut against the scorching agony that felt as if it were burning him alive, the sadness surging inside of him, bringing tears to his eyes. His mentor. Tough, hard to please, rough but a good warrior. Thistleclaw. He would show the clan that he wasn't just the runt of the litter- he would be stronger and better than anyone else. Determination. Hard work. He had to become the leader- he could make the forest great. He was destined to be the leader of ThunderClan, and perhaps someday, the whole forest. Ambition.

The dark tabby tom flailed around on the ground, lying on his back where his stomach began to convulse repeatedly. He started choking, writhing and twisting violently. A flame seemed to rise in his stomach, burning him alive. Thousands of claws raked across his pelt, ripping past his pelt and shredding his flesh. Fangs sank themselves into his fur, reaching his bones. Eyes scorched his pelt, and paws pinned his own paws down, preventing too much movement.

"It hurts!" He screamed, twisting violently on the ground, but was still unable to move much due to the cats pinning him down.

…

Lionblaze watched, horrified, as his son twisted violently on the ground before him. His best friend, Firepaw, was frantic and panicking. She was crying, her tears rolling down her cheeks and splattering onto the ground. Dovewing looked frightened, Ivypool reproachful. Jayfeather was barking out orders to the she-cats, as they tried to pin the dark tabby tom down and prevent him from twisting anymore. But it wasn't working. Tigerpaw's body thumped against the ground as something shoved him upwards, and he let out another ear-splitting screech. There was a thick ring of white around his eyes, and his pupils were dilated.

"What's happening to him?" Firepaw wailed, leaning over him. "Why is he in so much pain?"

Jayfeather's lips were pressed into a thin line, and he raked his claws across the ground in frustration. "I think he's having a sort of fit. The sudden realization was too much for his body to handle- and I think Tigerstar is fighting inside of him, fighting to regain control, but Tigerpaw is fighting back. The pressure of both souls trapped inside of one body is causing a lot of pain and panic to the brain, thus causing him to have a fit."

"How do we stop it?" Lionblaze meowed. He and Firepaw were probably the most worried out of them all. Tigerpaw was Lionblaze's son, after all! His heart did flips in his chest, his stomach clenching and his eyes narrowed in dismay.

"I… I don't know." Jayfeather admitted.

Firepaw bounded over to the tom, leaning over him. She bit her lip, and she meowed quietly, in a soft tone, her voice reassuring. "Tigerpaw? Its me- Firepaw."

…

The dark tabby tom lashed out a paw at the air above him, biting down hard on his lip. He struggled to remain focused on the ginger she-cat above him. She was smiling down softly at him, and as she opened her mouth he could faintly hear her voice- so sweet, so beautiful.

"Tigerpaw? Its me- Firepaw." She had meowed gently to him, and he felt her tail entwine with his. Her touch relaxed him, and memories swam through him. Rusty. A fire-colored tom joining the clan. Hatred. Disgust. A terrible reminder of his own father, and how he had betrayed ThunderClan by leaving them and becoming a pathetic kittypet. The tom exposing his plan, causing him to be exiled. Anger. The driven feeling of revenge.

He gasped out her name, his chest heaving. "Firepaw?" His voice was strangled, sounding like a huff of breath more than an actual word coming out of his mouth, but she heard it. Flicking her ears upwards in excitement, her green orbs lit up. Memories swam into his head again, and he thrashed on the ground, the memories each feeling like a claw to the heart. Training in the mossy clearing, teaching her how to fight and how to hunt. Looking at the stars together, and talking, likes real friends. Happiness. Rescuing her from Breezepelt. Relief. Feeling her snuggle beside him as she thrashed around in her nightmares. Warmth. Finally becoming friends with her. Affection. Realizing that he was in love with her. Love.

Then another cat was looming over him- a golden tabby tom with amber eyes that were similar to his own. Lionblaze. His father. The tomcat writhed violently again, images slicing through his mind, knowledge and memories swimming in his head. A small golden tabby tom, his amber eyes bright with excitement. Lionpaw. He was learning the badger attack. He taught the young tom, immediately seeing the potential. Good work. Satisfaction. Lionblaze. The golden tabby pinning him down to the ground, eyes blazing. "_You're already dead." _

"Lionblaze?" Tigerpaw choked out, more memories swimming in his head. This time it was of his own life. Meeting him for the first time. _"That's our father, mouse-brain!" _He remembered Lionblaze visiting them at the nursery, bringing them prey to eat and talking for a while. Playing sneak attack with Hollypaw and Spottedpaw, lunging playfully at their father before pinning him down to the ground while Lionblaze called out in mock defeat.

The dark brown tabby tom grit his teeth- determination coursing through him. There were two sides of him- ripping him apart. It was true. He really was Tigerstar. He could feel the dark tabby residing inside of his body, just laying low, and waiting for a vulnerable moment of which he could strike. Sending him memories, visions, dreams, trying to gain control of the body. But there was also him. Tigerpaw. The one who was loyal to his clan. The one who was in love with Firepaw. The one who did not know the meaning of true hatred, but he did know the meaning of true love. The side of him that wasn't evil, yet it wasn't fully good. Tigerpaw was neutral. And that was, yet still, enough to keep control.

Letting out one last scream, he focused all of his thoughts, digging into the deepest parts of his mind to look for memories. Memories of the beautiful ginger she-cat that he loved with a burning passion, which he knew and he would die for. He remembered their late nights at the mossy clearing. He remembered the teasing, playful banter as they joked around about the celestial sheen that was alive in the sky that night. The shock, but also embarrassment as they accidently brushed pelts during that one clan meeting. The relief when Firepaw finally began to like him back. How true her beauty was- inside and out.

Forcing his eyes open, he fixated his gaze on her green eyes; almost the same shade as the vibrant green of new leaves, but slightly darker, and more emerald-like. He ran his eyes over her. Her body was slender, with a small, neat, but lithe build and a long tail. She had angular cheekbones, triangular ears, round eyes and delicately carved features. Her pelt was a beautiful fiery ginger color, sleek and lush, whilst her stomach was a pale orange color, and as she moved her muscles rippled beneath her thick fur. She was so beautiful it hurt to look at her.

"Firepaw."

The name slipped out before he could hold them in any longer, and something felt as if it were lifted off of his chest. The pain suddenly subsided, and he squeezed his eyes shut- trying to block out the pounding of his heart. He stayed still, surrounded by blackness, for a while. He just breathed in and out, trying to keep the pain off.

After what felt like moons, he felt strength begin to slowly return to his limbs. Peeling his eyes back open, he flinched at the bright light that stung at his eyes. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision. It sharpened, and he could see clearly suddenly. Standing above him was Firepaw. Lionblaze and Ivypool had his paws pinned to the ground. Dovewing was stroking his pelt gently with her tail, while Jayfeather stared at him through narrowed eyes- completely void of emotion.

Firepaw had tears in her eyes, of happiness or sadness or regret or fear, he could not tell. She was smiling, and she shoved her muzzle into his shoulder fur suddenly, laughing against his shoulder. She was trembling so violently he wrapped his tail around her and just drew her close- realizing that she was the reason that he wasn't writhing on the ground anymore. That she was why he was Tigerpaw right now, not split, on the line between the two.

"You said my name," Firepaw whispered shakily. "Then you got better."

"Yeah, this is beautiful and all," Jayfeather meowed, rolling his eyes. "but can we get back to the matter at paw? Tigerpaw has just proved to us that he _is _Tigerstar's reincarnation- which is the furthest thing from good." His voice was grave, and he was dead serious. In fact, he was so grim that even Tigerpaw and Firepaw were subdued, their ears flattening against their heads as they stared seriously up at the medicine cat. "If Cinderheart proves anything, its that their past self will show themselves in the dreams. So… if Tigerpaw somehow manages to dream himself into the Dark Forest, whats to stop them from rising again?"

Tigerpaw's throat felt dry, as he remembered himself, or, Tigerstar, talking to Thistleclaw and Breezepelt and all of those cats about some plan. But should he tell them? If he did- what would their reactions be? He opened his jaws, sighing heavily. "Its happened already." He confessed, his amber eyes round as moons.

"What?" Lionblaze gasped, as well as Jayfeather, and Ivypool. Dovewing just looked startled, her tail curled protectively around her stomach. "When? What was Tigerstar talking about?"

"I'm not sure." Tigerpaw meowed shakily. The memory was fading from his mind- too fast, too soon. It was as if it were a slippery mouse, he had grasped its tail, but he couldn't quite seem to catch it. "Something about Breezepelt and rogues." He meowed, sounding slightly confused. Groaning in frustration, he bowed his head, feeling depressed. "I can't remember!" He wailed.

"Don't worry." Firepaw meowed comfortingly, pressing against his side. "It's okay."

"It's not okay." Jayfeather snapped, correcting Firepaw. "You of all cats should know how dangerous this is. You were sent here to stop him, anyway."

"What are you talking about?" Firepaw meowed, taken back.

Jayfeather rolled his eyes, "Are you mouse-brained?" He hissed at her. "Cant you see that you are Firestar?"

Firepaw groaned, "I'm not Firestar!" She retorted, fur fluffing up defensively. "Do I look like a tom to you?"

"I don't know what happened," Jayfeather admitted, sounding slightly frustrated. "But something went wrong. I may have lost my power- but during the visits to the Moonpool, I've never seen Firestar there. Bluestar is worried- and so is the rest of StarClan, but they refuse to tell me what is going on." He grit his teeth, lashing his tail. "So I'm going to figure it out myself."

"Why won't they tell you?" Ivypool meowed, eyes narrowing.

Jayfeather shrugged in defeat, "I don't know." He sighed, shoulders sagging. He swished his tail across the forest floor, ears pinning against his head. "Leafpool is worried too. She doesn't tell the full details, but she dreams of blood and darkness. Not to mention the fact that nobody, has even mentioned Firestar to me. Its as if he vanished right after he died- which is impossible as we all watched him pad to StarClan."

Tigerpaw watched Firepaw worriedly, scared that she would have a fit just as he did. She didn't seem to however, but her mind was whirling, and she looked deep in thought. She frowned slightly, her tail twitching anxiously.

"Whats wrong?" Dovewing asked the ginger she-cat. Firepaw was sitting, her tail curled tightly around her paws. Her head was bowed and she looked deep in thought.

Firepaw whispered, "I don't know."

"Try to remember things about Firestar." Dovewing meowed gently to her, pale blue eyes kind and supportive.

"Um… Okay, I guess?" Firepaw shrugged. "My… mate is Sandstorm? Uh, I ruled ThunderClan? You are all my kin? I kill evil cats?" She snorted at how ridiculous it was, rolling her eyes. "This is stupid. I'm _not _Firestar. I'm not a tom! I'm a she-cat!"

Jayfeather persisted, "Something must have gone wrong!" Then his eyes sparked, and he lashed his tail in triumph. "Thats it!" He cried out, looking satisfied with himself.

"What?" Tigerpaw leaned forward, ears flattening against his head. "Whats it?" He was relieved that they had stopped talking about his relationship to Tigerstar- but he was also disappointed that they weren't trying to find a way of splitting him and the blood-thirsty villain. He grit his teeth- Firepaw was more important right now.

"Thats why Firepaw has the heart problem!" Jayfeather exclaimed.

Something inside of Tigerpaw felt as if it snapped.

"W-what?" Firepaw stuttered, her eyes looking suddenly unfocused and cloudy. She stumbled over her own paws, and ended up sprawled on the ground. Blood roared in Tigerpaw's ears, and he felt as if he were turning numb and weak, for the second time today. He crumpled to his paws, heart pounding.

Jayfeather's blind blue eyes widened, shock radiating from him. "Squirrelflight didn't tell you?" He gasped, ears flattening against his head. "Fox-dung." He muttered under his breath, cursing quietly.

"Whats wrong with her heart?" Tigerpaw demanded at the same time as Firepaw whispered, "Whats wrong with my heart?" The two exchanged glances, and they could see each other's panic reflecting in their eyes.

Jayfeather swallowed. "It… it will probably just stop beating some day once you're around the age of a warrior." He meowed softly, looking truly sorrowful. "Its so different than any other disorders, theres never been something like this before. We watched you- we tested you. You're heart is naturally weaker than normal, the heartbeat is less strong, making you more tired. The time Leafpool tested you before the gathering- it was weaker than it was when you were a kit. You're not going to make it to the age of an elder."

Nobody spoke.

The silence was deafening.

"Well." Jayfeather coughed awkwardly. "Tigerpaw, do you know anything else about the Dark Forest?"

Tigerpaw couldn't speak- he was shell-locked. Frozen.

That was when Ivypool cut in. "Jayfeather," She meowed softly. "Tigerpaw has already told us what he knows, and so has Firepaw. I think you should visit the moonpool, and I or Lionblaze can accompany you, so you can talk to StarClan first."

"I'm so sorry, Tigerpaw." Lionblaze meowed quietly. Then, after nobody spoke, Dovewing meowed softly, "I think we should let them talk it out." She waved her tail, and the four cats slowly padded away, their heads bowed. They had figured things out, true, but the truth had spilled and it was far from good. The truth was awful, and Tigerpaw felt as if his heart was going to break.

After they were alone, everything seemed to get even worse. Firepaw was sitting there, looking shocked and frozen.

"I'm dying. I'm going to die." She managed to say, flattening her ears. "I'm going to die." She repeated again.

Tigerpaw felt tears spring to his eyes.

The dark brown tabby actually looked speechless as he stared at her. The emotion in his eyes was so horrible- it was as if his whole world was crumbling down to nothing. He finally spoke, after what seemed like moons. "No."

She blinked slowly, it paining her to do so. "It's the truth."

Then Tigerpaw was laughing. He laughed and laughed and laughed and Firepaw couldn't figure out why. His eyes gleamed with a wild light, and his laughter sounded so bitter and cold it sent chills down his spine. He bared his fangs at nothing and his eyes blazed with… with more fury than she had ever seen inside him before. There was nothing gentle about him now as he let out a horrifying screech and raked his claws down a tree in frustration.

"No!" He yelled at her. "No!" Then he slammed his paws down onto the ground, his abnormally long claws leaving deep gouges. Firepaw gazed emptily at him, her ears flattening against her head. She could just watch as he ripped up grass from beneath his paws and kicked up mud, looking infuriated.

"Tigerpaw…" She spoke quietly, and he whirled around. He shook his head.

"Nothing is right." Tigerpaw whimpered. "Why is everything wrong."

"What do you mean?" Firepaw whispered, her green eyes clear as she gazed up at him. She pressed her cheek against his, and he just let out a wail against her fur.

He pressed against her. "I want a happy ending." He whispered.

"A happy ending?" She asked, her voice quiet.

He smiled cheerily, some of the old, amused light coming back into his eyes. "You know… two kits, hate each other. Then the hate turns out to be passion. They become friends- then more than that. They live together, have kits, grow old." He laughs, as if it were the most ridiculous thing in the world. "I know it sounds boring- but thats what I want. I just want a boring, happy family. As long as you're with me- I'll be fine."

"I…" Tears sprung to Firepaw's eyes.

Both apprentices had forgotten everything. They forgot that they were just apprentices. They forgot that one of them was a villain, and the other was supposedly a hero. They forgot that their past selves hated each other. They forgot that they weren't mates. They forgot about everything- aside from each other.

"W-with me?" She whispered, ears flattened against her head. "I thought you liked Seedpelt."

"We're related." Tigerpaw's voice was dull, listless. "I love you more than anything- but it wont work out. I know you had your eyes set on Snowheart… but now he's gone. Dewfrost seems like a decent tom, I think you should go for it." He looked as if he was ready to die. "You don't have much time left- and I can't keep indulging myself in a fantasy that is wrong in so many ways, especially if you haven't got the time to waste."

"Stop." Firepaw shook her head. "Stop talking."

The dark tabby's eyes clouded over but he did as she asked. He closed his mouth and sat down, and lowered his gaze, too embarrassed and too depressed to say anything else. "I'm sorry." Was all he could manage to say.

Firepaw jerked him to his paws and glared into his eyes. "Stop talking. I don't want your apology."

The dark tabby tom looked miserable, and Firepaw knew he would be elated after she told him what she wanted to tell him. What she wanted to tell him so badly. He turned away, but she called after him.

"Wait! Tigerpaw!" She called after him, running forward and bowling him over so she had him pinned beneath her. "I want you to stop because your speaking nonsense. Our relationship may be wrong but it isn't. It feels more than right- and if I really am the one you want… then you're not indulging yourself in a fantasy."

His eyes lit up, and that cute smile stretched widely across his face.

It made her heart leap and dance so much that she could hardly breathe.

"I always thought that when someday I would get up the courage to tell a she-cat 'I love you', that she would say something extremely sweet back. I know it sounds ridiculous, but…" Tigerpaw's eyes glowed. "I love you, Firepaw."

Firepaw looked playful. "Something sweet, eh?" She purred, rasping her tongue over his cheek. "How about; 'I love you too, Tigerpaw'?" She questioned before pressing her muzzle into his fur. "Because I do."

It suddenly felt as if she breathed better than she had in a long time. A huge weight was lifted off her shoulders and now she was just grinning giddily. Everything was falling into place- everything felt right.

The dying she-cat that used to be a noble tomcat leader with the confused tom with an evil past.

It was anything but normal- and that just made it so much better.


	27. Twenty-Six: Fire

_Thanks for all the reviews! :) I can't believe we're almost at 400. Seriously though. :OOO So excited! ^.^_

_This chapter is mostly based off of Firepaw's thoughts and feelings about, like, __everything__._

_The next chapter is the gathering!:D_

_Anyway, here are the review replies!_

**_The Muffin Who Eats Cake: _**_Thank you so much! ^_^ Here is the next chapter~_

**_lawsonsog:_**_ I don't mean to sound rude or anything, 46 moons is still really young, and it isn't the average warrior age that they die, actually. Sandstorm is already 100 moons, and I'm pretty sure that Bramblestar is sixty moons or something..? _

_**Swiftstar of ThunderClan: **__Thank you! :) _

**_kate23816: _**_Well, she isn't exactly comfortable knowing that she was a tom- and you'll see more of her thoughts this chapter. + yay they're finding out! :D_

**_Stealthstar of StealthClan: _**_I know :3 Finally they confessed her love. Yay :D_

**_Skyfur02: _**_Haha, thanks! :D I tried to make it as sweet- actually I was kinda worried that it was really. really. cheesy. but whatever. xD_

**_Moonbeam141:_**_ Yes they did finally tell each other! Also, that actually never occurred to me, lol. xD I didn't make the connection between Firepaw's heart and Fire'heart'. Probably since it was supposed to be her lungs, and they would just stop all of a sudden- but I chose to make it the heart because I guess that its easier to feel (less advanced/less technology required) the beating of the heart rather than the breaths of the lungs._

**_QLKwriter:_**_ I know. :D It finally happened.+Thanks_

**_Swimming Trees:_**_ Yeah, they finally confessed! :D + There will be deaths eventually, but for right now- they're good. :D_

**_Coralstorm: _**_Well, I did a sort of wish-like-thing at 11:11, but I don't pray. Apologies. Anyway, yeah- if only it were actually that easy. xD Good luck with your friend though- I hope he/she gets better._

**_WarriorCat4Life: _**_Thank you! :D _

**_Guest:_**_ He got his mother because she was the only other pregnant queen in the nursery at the time, and Firestar was reincarnated into little Firekit- meaning they won't share the same personality. They will both be ambitious and noble I suppose, but they wont have all of the same traits- as Firekit takes after some of her mother's feisty traits. :P_

**_Timberbreeze of ThunderClan: _**_Yeah, poor Firepaw. ):_

**_Sparrow:_**_ Thanks! :D_

**_bob jones:_**_ hehe._

* * *

><p><em>Lucky me, but unlucky me.<em>

Thats what Firepaw had thought gloomily as she lay bored in the medicine cat den. Ever since Tigerpaw had actually confessed his feelings for her, although in a slightly cheesy way, she had been in a good mood. The ginger she-cat had confessed her feelings as well, and it felt amazing to get it off of her chest- but also slightly nervous, because what were they to do now? They certainly weren't old enough to be mates, or have kits. They would be closer than best friends, she supposed.

But… there was also the downside. Aside from being injured by Breezepelt, and being trapped in the medicine cat's den, of course. She had discovered that she, Firepaw of ThunderClan, turned out to be the _reincarnation _of the great, noble, once kittypet leader of ThunderClan, Firestar. Yes. It's true. He is indeed a tom, and she is indeed a she-cat. Yet something went wrong- and she was reincarnated into a female, but unfortunately that was not the only thing that went wrong during the rebirth. She had also, apparently, been born with some sort of disorder. No, its not one that disfigures you- hers is all about her heart. It didn't beat properly, or something, and that was actually causing her to die slowly. Every day brought her one paw step closer to the clutches of StarClan.

On that happy note, here she was, lying bored in the medicine cat den. Yes, she was stuck it seemed, to be injured and to not be able to do anything- but everyone else was moving on with their lives. Especially Tigerpaw, it seemed. Blossomfall was satisfied with his progress- such so that she had already agreed to let him go to the gathering in a few sunrises.

Not to mention- she was actually a tom. She wasn't even sure what she was supposed to feel about that! It made her feel sort of strange, thinking on it, as she looked at Tigerpaw. Toms had such distinct features- things that she really didn't. But apparently, in some past life, she did! Not to mention- this also meant that she was a kittypet? _Ugh, I hate this. Why did I have to be a reincarnation of a tom?_

Sometimes, it felt like everyones life was better than hers.

So, she lay in her nest, in the medicine cat's den. Sulking slightly, feeling gloomy and sullen, without a single thing to do. She sighed heavily, resting her head on her paws.

"Hey, Firepaw." Spottedpaw meowed cheerily to her, ears twitching. The she-cat had been busied with helping Jayfeather, the pale gray tabby seemed to enjoy teaching her- as opposed to his usual grumpy attitude. He was previously talking to her about the use of Marigold, and Tigerpaw's sister seemed really interested in it. "How are you feeling today?"

"Bad." She meowed moodily, flattening her ears. "Shouldn't you be training with your mentor or something?" She grumbled, feeling a twinge of jealousy.

The gray she-cat frowned a little, her ears flattening. "Icecloud," She mumbled, "went on patrol already this morning, so I decided that she could just rest."

"_You _decided?" Firepaw meowed incredulously, eyes widening in disbelief.

Jayfeather decided to interrupt the conversation. _Honestly, this medicine cat has interrupted half of the conversations I have had! _She thought, slightly bitter, slightly amused.

He sniffed at her pelt, "Spottedpaw, take a look at her wounds for me, would you?"

"I can look at them for you." Firepaw cut in.

They paid her no attention, so she sank back into her nest with an irritated snort.

Spottedpaw leaned forward, sniffing Firepaw lightly. She nosed through her pelt, gently splitting the fur to check the wounds. She pulled back with a satisfied mew of triumph, "Her wounds are almost fully healed. They've all closed, almost to the point of not having to worry about them re-opening."

"Good." Jayfeather praised her, twitching his tail. "So, what can Firepaw do, and what cant she?" He seemed to be assessing her carefully, his blind blue eyes scanning over her.

Spottedpaw hesitated for a moment, but right after her pause she began to speak, sounding nervous at first but her confidence built until she spoke very fluently and confidently. "Well, Firepaw should be able to do most of her training. Hunting and patrolling should be no problem, but probably not battle training." She meowed, glancing anxiously up at Jayfeather.

_Its almost as if he were her mentor! _Firepaw noticed.

"Why not battle training?" Jayfeather asked her.

Spottedpaw didn't pause this time, her eyes shining with determination. "If she does battle training, she will risk her wounds re-opening if she moves around too much or if somebody hits her there hard enough."

"Good." Jayfeather grunted in approval.

Firepaw coughed loudly, irritated to the point of being unable to hold it in. "Can you guys just let me go now?" Honestly. Jayfeather were acting as if Spottedpaw was his apprentice, and Spottedpaw acting as if Jayfeather were her mentor! In case they hadn't realized- _there were already two medicine cats in ThunderClan! _Besides, she was jealous. Spottedpaw had the chance to train, to battle train, and yet she wasn't! Firepaw would give anything to be able to battle train!

The most irritation she felt was actually towards Jayfeather.

How could he act like everything was okay?

It hadn't even been a quarter moon since he had _oh, so, accidentally _told her that she was going to die soon, _and _was originally a tom, and yet he thought everything was fine. Did it even matter to him that she had snuck out of camp, just sat still beneath some clump of brambles, and cried her eyes out for the past few sunrises? Did it matter to him that she knew she was going to die- and now she was forced to carry this burden? Did it matter to him that she had refused to talk or associate with her mother- that awful liar who had hid the truth from Firepaw _ever since she was a kit? _Did any of that matter to Jayfeather?

_Of course not, _She thought sulkily. _Jayfeather's just getting prepared to go to the Moonpool. StarClan knows, once I'm out of this den, he's going to scurry off to the Moonpool. He should have just gone! Its not as if Leafpool were incapable of doing her duty. She has been doing it for moons already, hasn't she? _

Firepaw sighed in irritation, rolling onto her back. She knew that she was just bitter and annoyed, as she couldn't leave the den, and was channelling all her anger towards Jayfeather. The gray tabby had, after all, talked to her as kindly as he could, which was surprisingly gentle considering his grumpy nature, and explained it a bit more thoroughly. He estimated that she would only live to be around his age. Forty moons, or so.

"… my words, you can go." Jayfeather seemed to be finishing up a statement, and Firepaw twitched her ear in surprise. She had actually drowned out his entire lecture, but she assumed it was probably some warnings, and then 'just remember my words, and you can go,' or whatever.

Excitement suddenly sparked in her chest.

Then dread.

Her mentor.

Squirrelflight.

If she were to train, that would mean that she has to train with Squirrelflight. Could she ask for a new mentor? Was it possible that Bramblestar would switch her mentor again? She groaned, lashing her tail angrily, before storming out of the medicine cat's den- not bothering to turn around. She heard Spottedpaw's excited voice, and Jayfeather's impatient retorts every time she had gotten something wrong- which, surprisingly, was not very often.

The ginger she-cat was waiting hesitantly in the clearing, looking nervously towards her daughter. The ginger she-cat felt a twinge of sympathy in her chest. Squirrelflight had lost her foster kits- Jayfeather, Hollyleaf and Lionblaze once, and so soon after forgiving her, the black she-cat was off to StarClan. Not to mention, she lost one of her daughters- Owlpaw, as she had run away, and after days of searching there was no prevail- and she was still missing. At least she had Bramblestar to help her get through it.

Squirrelflight padded over to her daughter and apprentice. "Lets go hunting."

"Alone?" Firepaw meowed, not bothering to disguise her wariness and hostility, still untrusting of her mother.

Squirrelflight flinched at her hostility. "I… I was hoping we could talk."

"I don't want to talk to you." Firepaw meowed sharply.

Bramblestar padded over, his eyes warm as he approached his daughter. "Firepaw, I'll go with you guys to hunt," he meowed tentatively, ears folding backwards.

"Whats going on?" Firepaw meowed suspiciously, eyes narrowing into slits.

"Well, its about… us." The dark tabby admitted.

"Us?" She arched an eyebrow.

"Me and Squirrelflight. And you- of course."

The ginger she-cat's shoulders slumped, and she sighed. "Fine."

Then the trio were padding out of camp, into the forest. Tension was crackling between the ginger she-cats, whilst anxiety and uncertainty was flowing off of Bramblestar. The dark brown tabby and the ginger queen had never fully recovered from Owlpaw's disappearance, but they seemed to feel slightly better- as if they had something to be happy about.

Firepaw glanced around the forest- now almost lush. The trees were tall, their branches covered with little twigs that had leaves attached to them. The leaves were a fresh, soft green color and were still new. Brambles began to sprout little buds where the leaves would form, and bracken and ferns seemed to finally begin to grow again. There was occasionally the tweet of a bird's song, along with the crickets chirp and the rustling of the leaves as the breeze, now almost warm, brushed past- carrying the sweet aroma of newly formed flowers.

New-leaf was finally here.

They padded a while, until they finally reached a secluded area. It was between three trees, and the roots were gnarled and thick. Around sides of the trees, there were brambles and brackens- and it seemed like a good, quiet, closed off space. The ginger she-cat felt some surprise at how they had managed to find this, but then she shook her head, deciding that wasn't important. The dark brown tabby lead them to one side of the brambles were the twigs were thinner, and you could squeeze past without getting raked by sharp twigs.

They finally sat down- and there was silence, at least for a while. Both of her parents looked nervous, afraid to talk.

"I'm sorry," Squirrelflight suddenly blurted out, ears drooping. "I… I didn't want you to have to deal with the burden of knowing you were going to die." She bowed her head, shame radiating off of her pelt. "This was actually the reason that I had never spoke to you that much- I was afraid it would slip out, and you would have to live the rest of your life in fear. The fear that you might not awaken the next morning."

Seeing her mother so heartbroken and sorrowful calmed her anger slightly, but she was still mad. "That shouldn't have been your decision!" Firepaw hissed at her mother, pelt bristling. "It is _my _life, thus being _my _decision! You know how awful it was for me to find out from Jayfeather? _Jayfeather? _You know what he said as soon as he accidentally told me? He said, 'your mother didn't tell you?'. _How could you not tell me this!_" She practically shrieked, her anger building up in her chest.

"I didn't know what to do!" Squirrelflight meowed, standing up and beginning to pace anxiously, which wasn't working out very well due to the small space. "I had panicked! I told Bramblestar, and he was also concerned. We didn't want you to have to live with fear! We just wanted you to have a normal kit-hood, and a normal apprenticeship. We were planning on telling you when you became a warrior- so that you would be mature, and as I had thought, ready to handle the news."

_Mouse-dung! Thats actually a pretty reasonable explanation. _Firepaw admitted to herself mutinously, flicking her tail back and forth. "You still should have told me." She argued. "You shouldn't have lied to me."

Squirrelflight bowed her head. "I know- and I'm sorry."

"I don't think I can forgive you for this." Firepaw meowed quietly, but her anger had been dulled down. Her mother looked stricken, and she lowered her gaze.

"Firepaw-" Bramblestar began, but the apprentice cut her father off.

"Not yet, anyway." Firepaw muttered. Her mother would have to work to gain back her trust- but the ginger she-cat did admit to feeling a bit bad. Squirrelflight had suffered greatly- her first mistake was because she wanted to protect her sister, the second mistake because she wanted to protect Firepaw. Sighing, the ginger she-cat knew she couldn't blame her mother completely, so she had decided to give her mother the chance to regain the trust.

Squirrelflight perked up immediately. Bramblestar even smiled softly and gently touched his nose to Squirrelflight's cheek, and then to Firepaw's.

The queen meowed softly, "Thank you," at the same time that her mate had meowed. "Theres actually something else we have to tell you."

Squirrelflight smiled, but it looked slightly half-hearted. "I'm… pregnant."

Shock coursed through Firepaw, and she stumbled back, so she was pressed against the tree. _What? So soon after Owlpaw's gone- they replace her? How long have they been hiding this! _Hot anger shot through her veins, and she grit her teeth to prevent lashing out at her parents. How could they betray her like this? Was she not good enough for them? Was that why they decided to have another litter?

Bramblestar looked concerned, "Are you not happy?" He meowed hesitantly, fur beginning to fluff up.

Firepaw bit her lip, looking at her parents. They both looked so concerned for her, yet so pleased about the news. She couldn't break their hearts. "I…" She whispered, her voice sounding hoarse. She couldn't meet their gaze, she couldn't smile for them, but she could at least say it. She had to. Even if she didn't want to, she couldn't keep disappointing them. StarClan knows how many times she had already disappointed them, or frightened them. By falling behind, getting angry with her mentor, getting almost killed. Her parents had suffered too- and they deserved a good, healthy litter. A litter that was normal. She bit her lip, her heart thumping against her chest. She tasted blood in her mouth. "I am happy for you guys." They didn't look convinced, so she added, "Really. I am. Congratulations. I'm…" It hurt her to say it, her heart pounding even harder against her chest. "I'm going to be a big sister."

Trembling all over, she forced herself not to burst into tears and break down. She had to stay strong- at least until they were gone. This was the worst thing that could happen, but she couldn't tell them that. They did deserve their chance at happiness- even if it didn't include her. She knew that once the new kits were born, Squirrelflight would be in the nursery, tending to their every need. Bramblestar would be visiting her with prey.

So what did that leave her?

Motherless. Fatherless. Mentorless.

She was going to be all alone.

Her heart was pounding against her chest so hard, so loud, that she could hardly hear what Bramblestar was speaking. He was smiling widely, and so was Squirrelflight. Both parents looked insanely relieved, while Firepaw was biting her lip so hard she felt the skin break and blood on her fangs. But she didn't cry out.

"We've decided…" Bramblestar attempted to sound playful, but Firepaw was too distressed to joke. "We've decided that you should choose your next mentor. You can choose the best warrior in the clan."

"Lionblaze." Firepaw meowed, almost numbly. As she opened her mouth, the breeze brushed against her lip and she realized how sore it was. Lionblaze was a great warrior- and if he were anything like his son, he would be a great teacher. Besides, this way she would be able to spend a lot more time with Tigerpaw's family. With a tom, who was actually a decent father, and didn't go around having another litter of kits right after one of his own kits vanished. Which they didn't of course, because they were a normal family. Well- aside from being in a prophecy, having a reincarnated mate, a reincarnated son, and a warrior apprentice daughter who seemed far more interested in medicine. They were actually quite unordinary- but somehow, they made it work. "I want to learn from Lionblaze."

"Lionblaze." Squirrelflight smiled lightly. "He will be a great mentor to you."

"Thanks." Firepaw whispered, her voice sounding shaky. She seemed to be stepping away from her parents now. "Can we go tell him now?"

"Sure." Bramblestar meowed lightly. "I'll announce the news about Squirrelflight and I as well."

Her throat felt dry. "Okay."

The ginger she-cat watched as her parents padded forward, side-by-side. She already pictured kits tumbling around their paws, still with kit-like innocence and the excitement of playing. She unsheathed her claws and sank them into the dirt.

She knew that every time she would see those kits in the future- she would feel awful. Perhaps she would grow to like them- but she would still never feel happy around them. Those kits were just a reminder that she wasn't enough for her parents. That she had already failed one sister. Those kits were nothing but a cruel reminder. Yet, her parents were so oblivious. So oblivious to the cruelness, so oblivious to her pain. And she couldn't tell them- because they deserved to be happy.

She reflected back to the first thought she had this morning. _Lucky me, but unlucky me. _Honestly, in the morning- she felt as if she were a little part of both. Well, that was all gone now. All Firepaw could feel now was an awful, numb throbbing in her chest, mixed with dread, disgust, and fear. Now, all she was thinking was, _unlucky me._


	28. Twenty-Seven: Tiger

_Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favs! I can't believe we're already at 400! Yay! _

_Anyway, here's the next chapter. This one is long. The first part may be slightly confusing- but he did NOT actually see Owlpaw. It was his subconscious talking to him in a hallucination type thing of Owlpaw- as she was his closest friend before Firepaw._

_Well, here it is! ^_^_

...

_"I don't understand." His voice is quiet, trembling. He finds it difficult to speak, to admit that there is something he seems to be unable to figure out. _

_The cat sitting next to him has soft, round amber eyes. Her pelt is a dark brown and is still soft and fluffy. Owlpaw. They were on the gathering island- completely alone, just sitting amongst the roots of the great tree. Her touch is surprisingly reassuring to him. _

_Yet, this was different to any other dream he had ever had before. It wasn't a nightmare- nor was it some silly dream. It felt like more than that. But there was a certain delirious feeling he had, his mind was spinning and everything felt slurred and dreamlike. His vision- the world around him held blurry sheen._

_What really was going on?_

_The cat sitting besides him fixed him in a solemn, far-too-serious gaze. She looked far too intelligent just then- not at all like the young cat she was, but more wise and mature. "The dark forest wouldn't just make a plan- and not do it, would they?" She meows to him. Her voice has a melodic tone to it- making it sound slightly dreary. _

_She wanted him to answer the question. Her ears were twitching in anticipation, her tail curling neatly around her paws. _

_His throat was dry, and he knew that he was to answer her soon. But his mind had pulled a blank. He stares at the image of her- she looks so young all of a sudden, her pelt was fluffier than ever, her tail short, her legs slightly stumpy. Her eyes were large, and possessed the kit-like innocence that she had lost throughout her life._

_Oh, StarClan, he thinks. Why is it that he remembers her the most as kits? Has the relationship really broken apart so in the apprentice years? Had he made a mistake with choosing Firepaw over her sister? However much he detested the dark brown she-cat, for lying to them and breaking them apart- he didn't think he could really hate her so. She had been his best friend of kithood, hadn't she? Perhaps everything was his fault. Maybe he was blind, and forgotten about her feelings. Maybe that was what had driven her over the edge. Was all of that true? Or was it just this light-headed, delirious stage he was in, that was meddling with his thoughts and causing him to question his own choices._

_He tries to focus on her question. Did he really believe that the Dark forest would choose not to do a plan? "No." He replies._

_She takes a step closer to him, such so that their fur is almost touching. He can almost feel the warmth pulsing off of her pelt. "So why have you not spoken to them as Tigerstar?"_

_The tabby feels irritation, frustration, and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. "I don't know." He hisses in frustration, ripping his gaze off of her pelt. "Perhaps they've given up." Although, as he speaks the words, he knows just how impossible that would be- they would never give up on a plan like this. Clearly, Owlpaw thinks the same, as she gives him a wry smile._

_"Maybe you're less Tigerstar than you realize," She whispers in his ear, and he can almost feel her breath tickling his fur. As she pulls away, she sits completely still again. They lock gazes. "Or maybe you're just oblivious. Blind. Ignorant. Blank." _

_If what she had said was meant to be an insult, he didn't feel the least bit offended. He wasn't even certain if he was able to feel emotions in this odd, dreamlike state. And yet, her words seem to reach into his brain, rifling through his memories in search of something that could match._

_"Blind." He murmured to himself, ears flattening. His talk. How he had wished they found a way to separate him and Tigerstar. "Oblivious." How he had spoken to Thistleclaw, and the gray-and-white tom had sworn to split the two of them in half. How oblivious he was to the importance of that comment back then. "Ignorant." Thinking that the Tigerstar inside of him when he was having a fit was just a short attempt to seize control. It wasn't. He was just ignorant to the truth- ignorant all along. "Blank." Those strange days of when he had woken up feeling a little off, as if there was something he was supposed to remember but couldn't. They were recent, and although it had only happened once or twice, was it more important than he realized? Was he wrong to have regarded his blankness of memory as something of little importance? _

_Owlpaw smiled again, showing her teeth. "Come on Tigerpaw," She was whispering to him, "use that brain of yours. You've got all the little bits and pieces- now you just need to piece them together." Her tail flicked lightly at the air. "Funny how these tiny little details always seem to be the keys to the biggest realizations." _

_He had tilted his head to the side, the light shining on half of his face, making it seem that his fur had split- half of his fur being a lighter brown, the other half being a darker shade of brown. "He split us." The dark tabby realized, a horrible sense of dread settling onto his chest. "Whenever I dream myself into the dark forest, he instantly takes control. He speaks through me. Yet I have no recollection- as something has severed the bond between my memories and dreams and him."_

_The dark brown she-cat purred in satisfaction. "You're finally getting it, Tigerpaw." She whispered to him. "But what are you going to do about it?" _

_He suddenly felt exhausted. "I don't know." He whispered. "I'm tired of all of this." _

_A little gleam enters her eyes, and she seems to sigh. Then her face grows serious once more._

_"What do you think they're up to? How are you going to find out?" She meows to him, eyes narrowed. "Come on, Tigerpaw." She begins to sound less dreary and melodic, a bit more irritated. As if his sleepiness is frustrating her. As if she wants him to focus. "Think!"_

_He moans, shaking his head. "I don't know!"_

_"For the love of StarClan!" She hisses, and then she stalks straight up to his face. Her tail is lashing, and her kit-like demeanor has been wiped off, and it reveals her. Huh. He realizes just how beautiful she has become. How dangerous she looks. How poised and impeccable her stance is. Her fur is sleek and shiny, her claws gleaming and thorn-sharp, her eyes are narrowed into slits as her gaze is focused on him, her muscles tense. She looks shockingly well and healthy. "Think, Tigerpaw! I don't know what mouse-dung you've managed to stuff into your head, but you better clear it fast." She scrapes her paw across the ground. "There is always a solution. When a problem is created, a solution is created alongside it. The problem is clearly visible, and yet the solution is stealthy, sly. It can hide itself. Morph itself into something you think to be part of the problem. But it is there. Do not let it fool you into thinking that there is none- because there always will be one. You just have to find it."_

_"How!" Tigerpaw almost shouts at her. "How do I find it? Tell me!" _

_A little frown appears on her face. "I've always thought of you to be intelligent. The answer you seek for lies right in front of you. Remember this- as evil as he may seem, he isn't. He was, and is, never truly evil. His heart hasn't frozen over- there is a spark of warmth in it. A fire." She seemed to put empathy on the last word. "There is a fire in his heart."_

_The dark tabby stiffens. "You mean me?"_

_"Of course not!" Owlpaw seems to be shouting at him. "He's more important than you realize! Do not forget what I have told you. There's a fire in his heart- and it's warding off the darkness that is currently surrounding him. He's bitter and full of hatred- but someone can change that. The fire inside of his heart! Never forget the fire!"_

_"What are you talking about?" He screams at her, frustrated. "Stop speaking nonsense and just tell me already."_

_There was a sad look on her face. "Oh, Tigerpaw." She seemed to whisper. "What's happened to you?" She looked truly sorrowful. "You used to be so determined to find the answer to everything- to learn all about the past, to be the best warrior you could be. You had so much determination. Where has it all gone? Have you used it all up? Where is your determination, Tigerpaw? I know you think that my sister is center of the universe- but she isn't. You need to open your eyes! Stop staring after my sister, and open them for real! Look around you! Start using your brain again. Solve these problems!" She slammed her paw onto the ground, sounding angrier with each word._

_As she spoke, he just found himself getting more and more confused. "But I love her. Firepaw… she's everything to me."_

_The dark brown tabby locked eyes with him. "What are you going to do when she's gone?" _

_This time he was unable to reply. _

_"That's what I thought." Owlpaw meowed, shaking her head. "You're already useless. Love has made you into a fool. Once, I thought you had the potential to become a great leader. Then, I was bitter and hate consumed, and thought that you could really live up to Tigerstar- and become a villain." She shook her head. "Now I'm hoping you'll open your eyes and just look at everything- that you won't look at them as just things, but look at the little details. You can't keep my sister on this pedestal. You need to confront her. She knows more than she tells. Don't be leader, Tigerpaw. Don't be a villain either. Just be a good warrior- one that will put their clan before their own personal needs. Dark times lie ahead of ThunderClan, and they will need every warrior they can get. You're more important than you realize- you are the one who must figure this out."_

_"Why are you telling me this?" Tigerpaw whimpered, almost afraid._

_She doesn't reply. "Do you miss me?" She asks suddenly._

_He lifts his gaze, and he sees her as his best friend from back when they were kits. The word slips out of his mouth before he can recall it- and he isn't sure if he means it or not. "Yeah."_

_She is silent._

_"Will I see you again?" He asks hesitantly._

_Her gaze falls to her paws. "I'm certain that we will meet again." She meows. Then she raises her gaze and fixes him in an intense gaze, as if she were trying to tell him something. There's a forlorn way she is holding herself, as if forcing her to stay away from him. She doesn't look happy- mostly wistful and regretful. _

_But what can he do about it? Nothing._

_"Goodbye." He says to her. It feels weird to say farewell, as he is fairly certain that this is just some sort of mirage or dream. He doesn't know what it is. He still doesn't. Without waiting for a response, he stands up and he pads away from that tree, padding towards the tree bridge. He steps onto the tree bridge of the gathering, and walk across it with expertise- odd, as he has never been here before. Not in this life, at least. _

_Then he bounces off of the tree bridge._

"Wake up!" An irritated voice cuts through his dream, and he lets out a faint murmur.

Blinking his eyes open, he flinches at the bright sunlight that floods his vision and temporarily blinds him. As he staggers forward, still sleepy, his dream still fresh in his mind. He wonders for a heartbeat if that was really Owlpaw. Then he shakes his head- there was no way it could have been her.

Standing before him is a tortoiseshell she-cat, her eyes narrowed in disapproval. The white on her pelt glows like snow under the moonlight, her muscles rippling as she twists her body to shake her head in disgust. "You took a nap?" she mutters, "honestly, one would think you were still a kit."

Tigerpaw blinks in surprise. "It's night-time already?" He meows excitedly, bouncing a little on his paws. He ignores her disapproval, excitement washing over him. He had missed three of the previous gatherings- and this would actually be his first gathering. "I can't wait!" The dream slowly started to go to the back of his mind as he got caught up in his own excitement.

In the middle of the camp sat a ginger she-cat. Her eyes are warm as her gaze meets Tigerpaw. He sucks in a breath- startled. He hadn't even realized it yet- but he had grown so used to her with blood and dirt streaking her fur, her pelt tangled and messy, not clean. Seeing her completely groomed, made his heart do flips in his chest. Her ginger fur was shiny, as it lay, slicked back and flat against her pelt. It seemed to have a silver sheen to it under the moonlight. Her tail was neatly groomed as well, and it looked long and slender. There was no fur sticking up- no fluffiness. As she stood up, the dark tabby was shocked at how much she had grown.

He had looked at her. Inspected her before. But never had she been as well groomed as now. He felt as if he was staring at a whole different cat, as if he were staring at a clan leader. Her face was less round, and didn't hold any of the previous kit-like fluff to it. Her cheekbones were high and angular, whilst her eyes weren't quite as large, but seemed to be more narrowed. Her muzzle wasn't quite as short as before, and it seemed to have grown slightly longer, protruding more so from her face. Her nose wasn't the same soft white-pink, but not was a darker shade- like a rosy pink color. Her tail wasn't fluffy anymore- yet was long and sleek and curled neatly around her paws. As she stood up, she walked towards him with grace.

"W-what?" He stutters. What was wrong with him? Ever since his dream- he had been observing things differently. He wasn't just observing her pelt color and eye color, but was noticing the little changes. She used to walk with a slight bounce, but now she walked forward in with a grace similar to that of a panther. When did he start to notice these things?

_"Now I'm hoping you'll open your eyes and just look at everything- that you won't look at them as just things, but look at the little details. You can't keep my sister on this pedestal. You need to confront her. She knows more than she tells."_

Her voice seemed to echo around the back of his mind, and he stiffens instinctively. He withdrew his gaze from Firepaw, acknowledging her with a smile and a sharp nod. He then moves his gaze towards Jayfeather. The gray tabby tom's eyes were narrowed into sharp slits, but he didn't seem to be staring at anything. White fur streaked his muzzle, despite his youth- showing how stressed he was. His pelt was slightly ruffled, not clearly groomed, and he didn't hold himself as straight. His shoulders seemed to be sagging slightly. He was tired. He hadn't slept the previous night.

_Oh, StarClan Owlpaw. I don't want to notice the little details. How am I to enjoy this gathering if I'm caught up just observing every little thing about every cat? Why am I doing this? _He thought to himself, ears folding backwards. As he glanced at Firepaw, he realized her mouth was opening and closing, yet no sound was coming out. Now that he thought about it- he couldn't hear _anything_. It was as if to make up for his sudden detail oriented sight, he had lost his hearing. But what was happening? His heart was pounding against his chest. He knew that dream was more than just some silly little dream his mind had conjured- it meant more. The things she had told him _were _important.

_"You can't keep my sister on this pedestal. You need to confront her. She knows more than she tells."_

"Firepaw, can we talk? After the gathering I mean." He whispers to her. As he raises his gaze, he briefly realizes that he isn't as lost in details as before. He doesn't fixate on something and observe them thoroughly. But what had changed? His heart is stirring with unease- it was as if Owlpaw were controlling him. But that was impossible. He was just paranoid from his dream.

What he didn't know was that he was doing this himself. Every time he thought about Owlpaw's words, that thing had come to his senses. It was a type of paranoia- he thinks about it so hard that his body reacts, thinking that it is an order.

She looks worried for a brief moment. "Alright." Then the bright smile tugs on her lips again, and she bounces lightly on her paws- her panther-like poise breaking to reveal her kit-like attitude for just a heartbeat. Then something flickers across her face, and she sits down again. As if she doesn't want to seem young- but mature. Independent. Self-reliant. But he doesn't know why. "Are you excited about the gathering?" She asks him lightly.

The dark brown tabby shrugs. "Yeah." He meows. "I guess I am."

"You guess?" She arches an eyebrow, looking amused.

He grins at her, flicking her ear lightly with his tail. But Owlpaw's words make him feel uncertain. _You can't keep my sister on this pedestal. You need to confront her. She knows more than she tells. _They ring around his head, over and over again. He tries to shove it out of his mind, but he finds that he can't. Instead- he tries to focus on how awesome it was going to be. It was his first gathering! He would finally be able to meet apprentices from the other clans!

Bramblestar bounded onto Highledge, his amber eyes bright. He looked excited for some reason. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highledge!" He yowled, summoning the clan. His voice echoed around the Stone Hollow, drawing the warriors from their previous actions to sitting in front of Highledge.

Tigerpaw touched his tail lightly to Firepaw and the two of them padded forward. He noticed that her lips were pressed tightly against each other, and her chin was trembling as if she were trying hard not to make a noise. Her body movements were stiff, her ears folded back- showing her clear displeasure. Yet, there was also a sort of determination mixed with relief lingering in her gaze. He wondered what it was about.

"I am pleased to announce that Squirrelflight is now expecting my kits!" He announces, and the clan purrs in delight. It was the leader having more kits, after all. Only good things could come from that. However, as Tigerpaw casts a quick glance to his right, he sees the dismay on Firepaw's face. She doesn't even seem to try to hide it, just lowers her head and fixes her gaze on her paws- almost as if she were defeated. He had never seen her so subdued. A twinge of worry runs through him. "That leaves my daughter, Firepaw, mentorless, _again, _so I have decided on her new mentor being Lionblaze." His gaze flits towards his daughter, and suddenly he looks a lot less happy. Her expression clearly dampened his mood. Yet he continues, "The cats going to the gathering are Jayfeather, Leafpool, Lionblaze, Foxleap, Whitewing, Thornclaw, Toadstep, Rosepetal, Blossomfall, Lilyheart, Ivypool, Tigerpaw, Spottedpaw, Hollypaw and Firepaw."

There were so little apprentices that they could all go to the gathering. Yet they didn't seem to be finished. Squirrelflight had stepped forward, her green eyes solemn.

"I am stepping back from deputy position- permanently." Her voice is confident and she sounds sure as she speaks, bowing her head. "I believe that Lionblaze is up to the task, and that he will make a great deputy."

Tigerpaw's eyes glowed with pride as he cast a sideways glance at the muscular golden tabby tom. He actually looked astonished- as if they hadn't talked to him before. Yet, there was confidence in his movements as he lifted his muzzle, locked gazes with the sturdy ThunderClan leader, and padded towards him. "I promise to work as hard as I can, to protect and to serve ThunderClan, and you at the best of my abilities as the new deputy."

The clan looks a bit stunned, but they soon begin to cheer, "Lionblaze! Lionblaze! Lionblaze!" Tigerpaw joins in, ecstatic. His father is going to be the deputy! Not to mention, as he glanced swiftly at his best friend, Firepaw's mentor was going to be the deputy!

Yet Firepaw doesn't look truly cheered up. She still looks subdued, and is quiet as she pads to Tigerpaw's side. The clan disperses, the cats going to the gathering swiftly following their leader, while the cats not trailed to their dens, others going to the clearing and settling down with some prey.

Tigerpaw felt excited again as they began to leave camp.

"Are you excited?" Tigerpaw asked Firepaw, tilting his head so the tips of their ears brushed. The ginger she-cat nodded lightly up to him, a smile plastered onto her face. Despite her obvious efforts, it looked fake. She looked miserable, but the dark tabby- call him selfish- didn't want to ask her about it. He knew it was going to cause him a great distraction, and he won't be able to focus. This was his first gathering in a few moons, and he just wanted to meet other cats. So he pretended he didn't realize. For now, anyway. He could ask about it later. "Me too. I'm going to go find Hollypaw now,"

Feeling a twinge of guilt for leaving behind an obviously depressed Firepaw, he bounded towards his sister. A slight irritation overcame him- and he had a bad feeling that it may not have been entirely from him. Maybe the discussion from Owlpaw had made him feel this way. This was the first time he felt annoyed by Firepaw. But she was _always _needing his attention. He wanted to be friends with his family too!

He shook his head.

What was he thinking? He loved Firepaw more than anything. Of course she wasn't always needing his attention.

Brushing his thoughts off, he bounded lightly towards his sister. Hollypaw was chatting enthusiastically with Seedwing, her tail flicking as she laughed. He glanced around, and spotted with a sigh that Spottedpaw was lingering around Leafpool, asking her questions about this and that. So instinctively he padded towards his father, purring lightly.

"Hi, Lionblaze!" He meowed lightly to his father as he bounded towards him. The golden tabby tom looked at him in slight surprise, but then a small smile spread across his face. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," Lionblaze meowed, ears twitching in embarrassment. "So, are you excited?"

"Yeah." Tigerpaw purred, tail flicking.

The two toms padded side-by-side, chatting, until they finally reached the tree bridge. Tigerpaw's eyes were wide as he stared at it, but with an encouraging nudge from his father he stepped forward. He padded forward warily, his claws unsheathed as they dug into the trunk. He put every paw carefully in front of the other, his movements slightly stiff. He spared a glance at the water beneath, churning and dangerous. He shivered.

It felt as if the bridge went on forever, but finally he leapt off. His heart was hammering by then, but he broke out into a grin. Hollypaw spotted her brother, and she beckoned him over with her tail. He ran towards her, suddenly feeling excited and carefree. Like any other apprentice.

"Come meet my friends!" Hollypaw meowed excitedly, before dashing forward. Tigerpaw cast one look around the island, hoping to see Firepaw. But the ginger she-cat was now near Dewfrost and Amberflight, the new warriors chatting with her. He figured she would be fine without him, so he ran towards his sister.

They stumbled to a stop in front of five-six apprentices. He drew his gaze from left to right. The first was a she-cat who was standing a bit further than the others. She had spiked up dark smoky gray fur with faintly visible black stripes that rippled as she moved, a slender frame, and pale yellow eyes. Her face was neutral, but a hint of hostility was shown behind her cold eyes. Standing next to her was a dark brown tom with black spots and green eyes, who had a slightly small build but looked friendly. Well, more friendly than her, anyway.

"I'm Oatpaw!" His thoughts were interrupted as a brown tabby tom introduced himself kindly, his eyes warm. He had pale brown fur, with darker stripes and light green eyes. He looked relaxed and carefree, his face a friendly mask. The tom standing next to him was no doubt his brother, sharing the same lanky build and light green eyes- but he had dark gray fur. He seemed friendly as well, but his eyes were hard and protective- as if he was making sure not to let anything slip. "I'm Hootpaw." The gray one meowed politely. "We're from WindClan."

He was going to say something, but in her flurry of excitement her sister cut him off. "Thats my brother, Tigerpaw! Its his first gathering actually, even though there were three before this. He missed them because of-" She was about to continue, but her brother shot her a hard glare, flicking her side lightly with his tail. She corrected herself, "Because he… got… in a fox fight." She finished lamely, shooting him a slightly apologetic glance.

"Yeah," Tigerpaw meowed, wincing at the lame excuse. The last cats were probably siblings as well, one a tom the other a she-cat. The tom had broad-shoulders, glossy fur and a large build. He had wide blue eyes, that were accompanied with a gray-and-black pelt. He looked moderately polite, whilst his sister looked quite friendly. The dark tabby blinked in surprise- she was quite beautiful. She had pale fur, that was a silvery gray color tinted with blue. A slender frame was accompanied by glossy and thick fur and a plumed tail. She had round blue eyes, the same shade as her brother. Her expression was kind, but her eyes were protective- and he knew she wasn't going to as open as the overly enthusiastic tom from WindClan.

"I'm Streampaw," She meowed softly. "Thats my brother Pebblepaw." The tom dipped his head politely when he was introduced. "We're from RiverClan. Our brother, Fishpaw, is still at camp today."

Then his eyes darted to the last two. The tom blinked warmly at them, looking more friendly than he expected. "I'm Marshpaw from ShadowClan." He introduced himself, ears flicking to the side. His eyes darted to the she-cat next to him. Despite her already spiky fur, she seemed to be bristling.

"Pricklepaw." She meowed curtly. She didn't look him in her eyes, but hid her pale yellow orbs beneath thick, long black lashes.

"Don't mind her. She's always like that." Marshpaw meowed. The dark-furred she-cat shot him an angry hiss.

The dark tabby tom blinked at her. She looked more interesting than the other cats, with her guarded expression and her sitting a bit further away from the rest. If she wasn't interested in talking, why bother coming here anyway?

"Where is Spikepaw?" Hollypaw asked, looking confused. "Is he here today?"

Pricklepaw didn't seem as if she wanted to answer, so Marshpaw answered instead. "Yeah he is, but he received his warrior name. He's Spikeclaw now." He purred slightly. His clanmate didn't seem to share the enthusiasm, just letting out another irritated hiss.

"Thats great!" Streampaw gasped, eyes glowing with warmth and a moony-looking expression. "Tell him congratulations from me!"

Oatpaw looked amused, "from us, you mean? Or do you want to give him a _special _congratulations?" Streampaw nodded, flushing slightly. Tigerpaw hides a snicker, and he can see the other cats are hiding their purrs of amusement. The only one that looks cold is Pricklepaw, who seems to be staring defiantly at Streampaw. Perhaps both she-cats had a crush on him?

_Sorry, Streampaw. Since Pricklepaw's in his clan, she will probably end up with him. _Vaguely he realizes how nice it is to just be a normal apprentice. Not to worry about Firepaw. To just laugh with friends.

"The gathering is starting!" Hootpaw whispers suddenly. The ThunderClan apprentices wave their tails goodbye before bounding back towards their clan.

"Let the gathering begin!" A loud yowl interrupts my thoughts. On the tree, I see four leaders. Bramblestar of course, with Lionblaze sitting at the roots below him.

"Thats Rowanclaw- well, I guess he's Rowanstar now." Hollypaw whispers to me. A ginger tom is on the tree, with his deputy- a dark brown she-cat below him. "He must have chosen Pinenose to be his deputy. He leads ShadowClan. RiverClan's leader is over there," She gestures with her tail. "Mistystar, the gray she-cat, and her deputy, Reedwhisker the black tom. WindClan- Onestar, the brown tabby and his deputy Harespring- the brown and white tom." She introduced them all quickly.

"Mistystar, would you like to go first?" Bramblestar asks courteously, sliding over on the tree to give the RiverClan leader some space. She dips her head in thanks.

"RiverClan is thriving. Leaf-bare has finally gone, and New-leaf is being good to us. We are pleased to say that there is plenty of prey. We have one new apprentice, Pricklepaw, and Havenspots has moved to the nursery, expecting Lizardfur's kits." Mistystar meows, before stepping back. The clans all cheer for the new apprentices, and Tigerpaw spots her- a light tabby who seems to be puffing her chest in pride. Then Mistystar nods lightly at Onestar.

"Likewise to RiverClan, WindClan is thriving as well. New-leaf has gifted us with plenty of prey, and we are all well-fed and healthy. We did have a bout of green-cough, but it wasn't severe and we are satisfied to announce that no cats passed away," As he says this, murmurs of relief break out in the clans. A death is always a sad thing. "Larkwing has given birth to Crouchfoot's kits, three little one toms and two little she-kits. Gingerkit, Volekit and Mudkit." Cheers ripple through the clans. Kits are always a blessing. Then he gestures for Bramblestar to speak.

"Thank you, Onestar." The dark tabby meows, courteous as always. "New-leaf has, as well, been good to us. We are thriving and prey is plentiful. We have a new queen, Squirrelflight, and she is pregnant with _my _kits. She has also withdrawn from the deputy position, and I am proud to say that Lionblaze is the new deputy of ThunderClan" He pauses, and the clans cheer. It was his second litter, and they were proud. "Other than that, ThunderClan has nothing else to report." He steps aside to let Rowanstar speak.

The dark ginger tom takes a deep breath, then lifts his head and puffs his chest out slightly. "ShadowClan is sorry to say that Blackstar has passed on. I have received my nine lives, and I am now Rowanstar!" He let the clans cheer for him, but his eyes are hard and he glares at the cats below- as if daring them to comment on ShadowClan perhaps being weak after a change of leadership.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Onestar meows, dipping his head.

"I'm sure you'll be a great leader." Bramblestar encourages him.

"Good luck." Mistystar meows kindly.

"Thank you." Rowanstar meows politely. "I have chosen Pinenose to be my new deputy. ShadowClan is also thriving, and we are blessed with two new warriors- Spikeclaw and Grasspelt." The clans cheer, and he steps back. Tigerpaw notices that Streampaw is smiling slightly and cheering along, while Pricklepaw seems to be smiling a little too. He smirks.

"The gathering is at an end!" Onestar calls, and then the groups of cats withdraw to their own groups. Tigerpaw purrs and rubs his cheek against Hollypaw, before bounding towards his friend.

"Hi, Firepaw!" He meowed cheerily. "Did you like the gathering?"

He was relieved to see that she was looking happier.

"Yeah," She meowed lightly. Then her voice grew tight. "Now, we should probably talk." She muttered. "Everyone will be heading back to their clans. Lets go to the mossy clearing."

Tigerpaw nods. Then the two of them run towards the mossy clearing- the place where they have been meeting since they were barely apprentices.


	29. Twenty-Eight: Fire

_Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! ^_^ This chapter is set from Firepaw's P.O.V. Don't hate me for whats going to happen! :P D: It'll get better. I pwomise. ;3 Also, there is NOTHING romantic between Lionblaze and Firepaw- in case some of you get the wrong idea. They just have a strong mentor/apprentice bond._

...

Something changed.

That was what Firepaw had noticed as she padded side-by-side with Tigerpaw. Was it just her, or did he look suddenly so much older? So much wiser? As if he had just matured so much during one night. Despite how much older he seemed- she had seen him at the gathering. How happy and carefree he looked, the smile spreading across his face. Her problems, him being Tigerstar, everything- was pushed far back into his head. He was enjoying himself truly, and so was his sister.

The dark brown tabby was a lot larger than her now. His build was large and muscular, with a thick pelt and long, thorn-sharp claws. His shoulders were broad, and his legs were all thick and sturdy. His dark brown pelt was glossy with darker stripes that seemed to ripple as he moved, and his tail was long, yet the fur was also thick. His eyes were narrowed, it seemed, into slender pale amber slits. His cheeks were angular, the cheekbones jutting out from his cheeks, and his jaw seemed to be square and strong.

He didn't look like an apprentice anymore.

If she closed her eyes and imagined him- she would always think of him as the little tom from the start of their apprentice age. Only a little larger than her, with curious amber eyes and a fluffy pelt. A carefree bounce in his step as he bounced around, clearly excited about everything.

He had lost that carefreeness.

Guilt pierced her like a thorn as she thought of why. He had lost his carefreeness because of the things he had witnessed- Breezepelt trying to kill her, Snowheart's death. With a sinking heart, she realized that the reason for all that was _her_. She was the one who had agreed to meet with Breezepelt. She was the one who befriended Snowheart, and he had died for her. It finally seemed to sink in, like ice-cold razor sharp claws into her heart. She may not have killed Snowheart, but she _was _the reason that he was dead.

Sighing heavily, she forced herself to pad onwards. She dragged her gaze across the forest. It was so silent, so calm, so tranquil during nighttime. The sky was a dark blue color, darkening until it reached the smoky violet-black color it was at the top. The moon seemed to brighten the sky, a pale glowing orb, so similar to the sun yet so different. There weren't many stars that night, nor were there many clouds. The few stars that were up there seemed to be shimmering with an almost sad sheen. Night-time often looked the same. It was often prettier than day time. And it was always beautiful.

As she looked around the forest, she realized just how quiet it really was. The soft breeze was brushing past the trees, but as most of the trees hadn't fully grown their leaves yet, there was only a slight rustling noise. The freshness of the air, mixed with a twinge of a watery scent and the scent of fresh soil wafted up her nose. It was so peaceful. The birds had even returned, and although they weren't singing, she would hear an occasional chirp. That, along with the soft music of the crickets as they chirped their melody, seemed to relax her even more.

Yet nothing could extinguish that flame of guilt that was burning her alive. Tigerpaw was so uptight- he was so stressed and lost his carefreeness because of her. Snowheart had died because of her! How many lives was she going to ruin?

As she glanced at Tigerpaw, Firepaw realized that she pitied him. Pitied him for falling in love with a she-cat like her. She seemed to have caused nothing but tragedy in his life- delaying his warrior ceremony and just snatching away his adorable kit-like innocence. If it weren't for her intruding and stomping all over his life, he would probably be taking a walk with Owlpaw. They would be laughing, their eyes twinkling. They wouldn't be walking in the awkward, almost eery silence that he and Firepaw were walking in now. Owlpaw wouldn't have run away. They would have both been ready for their warrior ceremony soon- instead of Owlpaw lagging behind, due to some injury.

Despite her unstable mind, the ginger she-cat admitted with a slight grudging huff that her sister was the smarter one of the two. She was always the best problem solver. Every time when they were kits and their mother jokingly asked them a question, Owlpaw would beat her to it. Tigerpaw wasn't so shallow. He would have loved her for who she was- and not her beauty. They would have had a happy life together. Something that the emerald-eyed she-cat had clearly robbed him of. It seemed there was nothing but tragedy in their lives together.

It was too late now. Tigerpaw had already fallen in love with her- and she, him. But what was this awful feeling in her chest? That surging guilt that she got every time she saw his face. With her- it was all romance. He was so gentle, always trying to make her feel better. He tended to her every need. And he was happy, she supposed.

But tonight… Firepaw had seen him, and he looked _truly _happy. Not that mouse-dung act he held when he was around her. He had joked around with them! The laugh coming out of his throat was genuine, and he had a certain sparkle to his eyes that she had never noticed before. His smile was stretched wider than she had ever seen, and there was a teasing, impish twist to it that she had never noticed before. His body was relaxed, as he drew his gaze over the cats. She had seem him cast a glance at her- but it was guilt mixed with also another emotion. She recognized that emotion. And she hated that he felt it about her.

Relief.

He was relieved that she wasn't stomping all over him, snatching him away from his friends. Was she too high maintenance for him?

As they finally neared the mossy clearing, her stomach seemed to drop. She stopped abruptly, her insides twisting and herself feeling very shaky. What was she supposed to do? She had seen him happy. Actually happy. And it wasn't with her. It was never with her. It was as if there was some magnet that drew him towards her- that he was hopeless in love with her, as if bewitched almost. But he was never happy! She wanted to scream and to wail, the horrible realization sinking into her chest.

Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe she hadn't seen it right. But this was what she thought, and it definitely dulled her mood. It broke her heart more than anything her parents could do possibly would.

As Tigerpaw's curious and concerned gaze flitted towards her, she forced herself to step forward. She walked towards the mossy clearing and sat down, her ears flattened to her head as she stared meekly at her paws.

"You're so quiet!" Tigerpaw meowed, concerned. "Are you feeling okay? We can talk another night. I don't mind."

_There he is again. Sacrificing his time for me! Always for me! _Firepaw thought furiously, but felt horrid.

She lifted her gaze and locked it with his. Green met amber and warmth flooded between them- a spark of affection, despite her darkened mood. "No," She lied, smiling weakly. "I'm fine. Really."

"I… I want to ask you something," Suddenly the dark tabby tom was shy, flushing with embarrassment. But there was a spark of determination in his eyes, yet a clouded look over it that her wonder what he was thinking about. "Have you spoken to the Dark Forest before?" Firepaw stared incredulously at him. Was he accusing her of being disloyal? Almost as if he could read her name, he quickly stammered, "Not as in reporting to them- but you just woke up there and they seemed to be angry and they yelled at you… or something like that?" He finished weakly.

The ginger she-cat wondered if she should tell him. "I'm… I'm not sure…" She trailed off.

"It's okay." He muttered immediately, but his eyes flashed with bitterness and resentment. "It was stupid of me to ask. Lets just go back to camp." With that he had turned away and began to pad away.

"Wait!" Firepaw called after him, stomach churning. He had never acted this way.

Or maybe she was just oblivious to his feelings.

"I… I have." As soon as the words tumbled out of her mouth, she winced. He had spun around, his eyes widening. He didn't seem to look so shocked that she had, more surprised as if he were right. But how could he have guessed? Then the tabby tom bounded towards her, sitting a fox-length ahead of her. Staring solemnly at her, he waited for her to speak. "It happened not long after I woke up. I was having the nightmare about Breezepelt- the ones that I usually had, but then it turned into something else. I was walking in this dark forest, and there were these cats. Breezepelt was there, and so was this gray-and-white one. He had spiky fur."

The dark tabby's eyes narrowed in realization. "Thistleclaw."

"Yeah, Thistleclaw." Firepaw mumbled, evading his piercing gaze. "Well, I had run into them. Breezepelt was threatening me, but I don't think he would have killed me. Anyway, Thistleclaw told him not to kill me. He said that I would be important… important to you." Her eyes flicked up at his face. His face was hard, but expressionless. As if he were trying to work something out in his head. "He said that he was going to train you. To teach you to kill. He was going to help Tigerstar get control of you." She bowed her head.

The dark tabby was livid, "Why didn't you tell me?" He hissed in outrage, ears folding back.

"I'm sorry!" She cried out, her heart feeling as if it were breaking. He had never been so angry before. "Thistleclaw told me that if I had told anyone, he would kill my whole family and blame it on you. Then you would drive yourself to insanity!"

"He can't kill your family, you mouse-brain!" Tigerpaw roared. Anger blazed in his eyes, and his nostrils flared. "He's a ghost! The line between reality and dream is still being repaired!"

"I didn't know…" Firepaw whimpered, cowering before him. Then a spark of annoyance arose inside of her. Here she was- trying to be nice, and he was shouting at her. "Besides, its not my fault!" She snapped at him.

"Not your fault?" Tigerpaw scoffed, furious. "Everything is your _fault!_" His eyes were an awful blackish color, and he was more angry than she had ever seen him before. The last sentence came out as a bellow of anger, and then the dark tabby reared on his hind-paws and knocked Firepaw off her paws. He raised his paw as if to aim a blow at her chest, but then he stopped.

He stumbled away from her.

She lay there, paralyzed, horrified.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

She wasn't angry at him. He had every right to be mad at her. "It's… okay. I'm okay." She coughed out, although she did stumble backwards- making sure there was space between them.

He cringed as he saw the fear flickering in her eyes.

"I'm…" Tigerpaw whispered. He tore his gaze away from her, and Firepaw felt wretched. "I don't think we should spend so much time together."

Her jaw dropped open. "But… but…" She was at a loss for words.

He was acting so different. Too different.

"For now," Tigerpaw whispered, voice sounding husky. There was a filmy look in his eyes as he stared at her. The longing in his eyes, the want, the need for her was strong. He was shaking- with want, with regret, she couldn't tell. "You need to train hard- I shouldn't be distracting you. I also need to prepare for my warrior ceremony. Not to mention, I need to deal with all of this Tigerstar seizing control stuff. You should probably figure out the Firestar stuff as well."

"I…" Firepaw tried to speak again, but he swiftly cut her off.

"I love you, Firepaw." He locked gazes with her. "You know that right?" With that, the dark tabby tom shoved his muzzle into her shoulder fur, and wrapped his tail tightly around her. It was as if, during that moment, he wanted to shove them both together. To make them into one. Her heart pounded against her chest as he pressed her tight against him. Then as he withdrew, his eyes were serious. "Its just temporary. I just need to sort some stuff out." With that, he leaned forward. He was still trembling with longing, but it seemed more under control. He rasped his tongue lightly over her forehead. Then he padded away.

She was sitting in the clearing, frozen.

She had just lost the one thing in her life that was good.

She felt as if she were ripped in half.

Then she let out a horrible wail. She wailed for her loss. She wailed for Tigerpaw. She cried for everything that was preventing their relationship. She cried because she felt as if the world hated her. She cried because she knew that she hated herself.

…

"Fine, whatever." Firepaw snapped at Purdy, looking irritated. "I'll get you a mouse-brained thrush." With that she stormed out of the elders den, tail lashing, eyes narrowed with annoyance. She stalked to the fresh-kill pile, snatched up the first piece of prey she saw- a vole, and carried it back to the elder's den despite the fact that it wasn't a thrush.

Purdy opened his jaws to protest, but a fierce glare from Firepaw made him close his jaws. The rumpled tom felt a twinge of sympathy for the apprentice, so he let it slide, deciding to just let her be done with it. Gratefulness sparked in her eyes, and also a little guilt as she padded out of the elders den.

With a huff of annoyance, she plopped down in the clearing. She swept her gaze around, looking at her clan. It had grown a lot during the previous moon- especially because Dovewing had kitted. Although she had kitted a quarter moon early, all of her kits were healthy, despite one being rather small. Firepaw admitted that after seeing the little kits, she felt a little spark of longing arise in her chest and meddle with her emotions.

There were four kits. The firstborn was a dainty little she-kit that had pale gray fur with a cream-tipped tail, pale cream paws and ears. The kit had already a long plumy tail and cute tufted ears. Her eyes had opened a few sunrises ago, and where a unique pale yellow color. Dovewing had named her Dawnkit. The second kit was a tom, a silver tom with darker stripes that was already lanky. He was slender with dark blue eyes. She had named him Silverkit. The third was a small but long-haired she-cat with dark gray-and-black fur with tufted ears, with dark amber eyes. Shadekit. The last kit was named after a queen, and she was a pale gray, almost white she-cat with darker silver colors. She had a plumy tail similar to the first sister. Her name was in memory of Ferncloud- and she was called Fernkit.

Firepaw had to admit that the kits were adorable. Sometimes she had wanted to go to the nursery and play with them- but every time she stepped into the nursery she saw her _mother_. Squirrelflight was a whole moon pregnant now, and her stomach was swollen with kits already to the point that she could patrol no longer. Every time Firepaw saw her, she flattened her ears, and bile rose in her throat. Her stomach would churn and she would feel sickened, forcing herself to tear her gaze away. When she talked to her parents, she would always fixate her gaze on her own paws, unable to look at her mother- or more precisely, her mother's stomach that was swollen with her new little siblings.

But that wasn't the worst thing. Hollypaw had told her, a sunrise ago, that the three littermates were taking their warrior assessments. It wasn't supposed to be Tigerpaw taking it with them- but the dark tabby tom was so focused in his work and had caught up in no time during the last moon. Not only that, but Tigerpaw had been able to go to the gathering last moon, while she was forced to stay back in camp.

Firepaw didn't know what was worse. That Tigerpaw was going to be a warrior without her, or that he was well, even _thriving _without her to drag him down. Closing her eyes, she breathed in and out through her nose. Lionblaze had been impressed by her progress, but had sadly told her that she would have to wait another moon to take her assessment as she had not yet mastered all the necessary techniques- due to her lack of motivation with Cherryfall, her depression from Squirrelflight, and injuries from Breezepelt. Well, he hadn't quite told her that- but those were the reasons she knew that she was forced to wait to get her warrior name.

The sleek ginger she-cat hadn't really talked to Tigerpaw ever since the two of them decided to give each other some space. They had conversations when they were on patrol- talking about hunting, occasionally swapping jokes, often flicking each other's pelts in greetings. But it wasn't like before. She wasn't distracting him anymore.

Without her constantly distracting him with her problems, Tigerpaw had caught up in no time.

She sighed. Her temper had been flaring recently, and she knew that other cats were beginning to think she was becoming a hothead. Honestly. They should try living without siblings, with a mother who was too busy thinking about her new kits, and a father as clan leader who was too busy to talk to her all day. With her best friend gone, and one of her friends so busied with trying to balance medicine, hunting and fighting, and her other friend preparing for her oncoming warrior assessment. She was lonely. She still spoke to Amberflight and Dewfrost- but they had their warrior duties too.

"Hey, Firepaw." Lionblaze greeted her warmly, tilting his head as he watched her sitting alone. Lightly he touched his tail to her flank as a way of reassuring her. "I know that you're friends with my kits, and that you know they are going to be taking their warrior assessments soon…" He decided to check up on her, and see if she was alright, _once again_. Why was it always that her mentor was checking up on her? Why never her own father? Oh, of course- she thought bitterly- it was because he was too busy being clan leader. "I just want you to know that if you work hard, you'll catch up to them in no time. I promise. You are a fast learner and you're very determined."

Firepaw sighed. "I know." She replied to him. "It just makes me feel like a mouse-brain. I'm the same age as them, and yet I am getting my warrior name without them." Lowering her head so it rested on her paws, she sighed again. "I want to have my warrior vigil with them- not alone! Besides, Pebblekit and Redkit aren't old enough. So, for that whole moon, I'll be alone. Then we'll be without apprentices for like three moons or so- and that means that I'll still be doing apprentice duties, despite the fact that I would be a warrior!"

"Don't worry." Lionblaze meowed soothingly, twitching his whiskers almost as if amused. "Bramblestar won't put that all on you. I bet I'll be hearing Amberflight, Dewfrost and maybe even Seedwing and Lilyheart whining about having to do apprentice duties again." Despite her low mood, Firepaw snickered, imagining the two sisters who had been warriors for a long time already, whining about having to do apprentice duties. "Anyway, I'm sure that Tigerpaw will miss you lots when he's a warrior."

"Doubt it." Firepaw muttered under her breath.

Lionblaze blinked. "He really cares about you, Firepaw. He talks about you all the time. But I just… I know how he feels, alright?" He says, not unkindly. His eyes look slightly faraway, and almost as if subconsciously his eyes flit towards his paws. "He wants to focus on his training so that he can be the best warrior he can be. He has a lot on his mind, especially about the…" He lowers his voice, "whole Tigerstar dilemma."

"I know." Firepaw exclaims, still feeling frustrated. "I know that he has a lot on his place, but… I just… ugh." She groaned, pressing her face against the ground.

The golden tabby let out a _mrrow _of amusement. "Tigerpaw just needs some time to think. Besides- I know that you are only apprentices now, but I suspect the dark forest wont wait so long. Jayfeather, Ivypool, Dovewing and I have been talking, and we're trying to figure out what their next plan is going to be. I know thats what Tigerpaw is already trying to figure out. He's a good tom, and of course he feels guilt for being a reincarnation of Tigerstar, so he's trying to make up for it by helping us." He sighs, "there is no prophecy this time- but Tigerstar being reborn? Thats a sure sign of the dark forest rising. Besides, you were sent here as well, most likely, to stop him. I hate that you two are caught in the middle of this- and that you were robbed of a normal kithood and apprenticeship." His eyes softened. "I know that you miss him- but let him work this stuff out. You just focus on becoming a warrior- then afterwards maybe you can start helping us figure things out and maybe get close with Tigerpaw again."

The ginger she-cat grunts. Lionblaze always knew how to make her feel better. He really was a good father-like-figure, and he was a kind-hearted mentor to her. He was always patient. "Thanks." She meowed to him. But her eyes flashed with determination. "But I'm going to help you figure everything out, starting from now." He opened his jaws to protest, but she shook her head firmly. "You guys were trying to decipher the prophecy at apprentice age, weren't you? Well- even if there isn't a prophecy, I can help. Maybe I can even go to the moon pool and dream. StarClan knows, I might even turn into Firestar when I reach the lands of StarClan!"

"Alright." Lionblaze purred lightly, touching noses lightly with her. "Maybe you can. But for now- you're coming to the mossy clearing with me to practice battle moves."

Her moods were already lifted by his chat, but they lifted even more. Her heart soared, and she leapt to her paws in excitement. "Great!" She purred. "Lets go!"

With that, the mentor and apprentice bounded out of camp. Tigerpaw was pushed to the back of her mind, and the whole dark forest thing pushed to the back of his mind. They had a good mentor-apprentice bond. It was good for both of them. Especially with the one important thing they had in common- they both loved a certain dark tabby apprentice.


	30. Twenty-Nine: Tiger

_Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! This chapter is going to be cheesy. :P_

_Review Replies: (I just realized I didn't do any last chapter so I'm going to do them last chapter)_

**_Lawsonsog:_**_ Haha, I guess that would be funny. But it wont be happening, not in this fanfiction. Sowweh. :3_

**_Bobbie1776:_**_ Well, I guess you can say that it did get resolved in this chapter. Kinda, kinda. Its one of those like momentary things, before they end up splitting ways again. xP_

**_kate23816:_**_ Yaaas. Lionblaze and Firepaw. 3_

**_Stealthstar of StealthClan:_**_ He didn't really break her heart. :P Just kinda. Kinda kinda. :D_

**_QLKwriter:_**_ True, but that applies to Tigerpaw too. Because Tigerpaw's a tom._

**_Skyfur02:_**_ ^_^ I know. :3 Thank you._

**_Coralstorm:_**_ I didn't put a disclaimer in any chapter, but it is in my profile. O: Maybe I'll put a disclaimer at the start. I dunno, I forgot last chapter, lols sorry. Haha, thanks, I would hate it if people thought of LionxFire. Btw, did you notice that you skipped 4? Also, your author questions... as in the one about how it gets easier towards the climax? Well, I'm going to answer that one. Personally, for me, I think that starting a fanfic is really easy, because at first you are really excited about it. I get writers block often, and I can't really think of what to write, but reviews really motivate me and they help me to keep going because I know people are reading my fanfiction. ^_^ As the story progresses, things happen in it that surprise me even, because I didn't intend on things like that to happen. Like, I didn't intend on Owlpaw to run away- but she did. Also, about the climax- I'm not sure. Once I start a chapter, I find it quite easy to finish it up and get really consumed in it. I have ideas for what to write in the future, and sometimes I get really impatient thinking about it- and wish I could just write the future chapters already, but I can't. I'd say yeah, it gets easier as it nears the climax- but not by too much._

**_Sparrow:_**_ Lionblaze is. ^_^ + I'm sorry, but I already thought of the warrior names for them. D:_

**_SwiftStar: _**_Thank you! :)_

**_Wood Cats:_**_ Tigerpaw still is smitten with Firepaw though. :P + Haha that would be interesting, but it wont be like that. I'm sorry. Dx_

**_Lazy watermelon:_**_ I know. :O But she is about to get an awesome surprise from an awesome tom. _

_**Blazingheart: **__Thank you so much. :)_

**_Stream that Flows Around Rock: _**_Firepaw is a very hard-working cat, but I kinda think that Tigerpaw is more hard-working than her. xD + Thank you!_

**_By the way, I have decided to put the Allegiances and Prologue into one chapter because I realized that in the rules, there is story content required- and the allegiances was in a list form. So... yeah. xD_**

...

"I'm scared," Hollypaw admitted. Her dark gray pelt was on end, a thin ring of white around her dark pupils. She was worried- her amber eyes wide. Her usually talkative self was subdued as she stood silently and very still aside her littermates, awaiting for orders on what to do. "What if I don't pass this part?"

Tigerpaw stiffened, squaring his shoulders. "You'll do fine." He meowed reassuringly, tilting his head so his ears lightly brushed his sister's. He was confident that Hollypaw would pass- the cat that he was worried about was Spottedpaw. She had been subdued and quiet throughout everything, except for the part where they questioned about the warrior code. The pale gray she-cat had hardly tried during the fighting section. He was just hoping that his sister would try during this final section- the hunting part. "Hunting is probably the easiest part of this assessment."

He heard a sharp meow from his mentor. Blossomfall glared at him, looking cross. "You could still fail this part. Don't get cocky, Tigerpaw." She meowed gruffly to him. However, there was a gleam of pride mingled with confidence that shone in her bright eyes. The tortoiseshell had faith in her apprentice- and she knew that he had been very focused lately, and he was definitely not going to pass up the chance of being able to receive his warrior name.

Tigerpaw did nothing, just teasingly flicked his tail at his mentor. "Please," He scoffed lightly. "I'm amazing." He spoke the last word in a sluggish way, a cocky drawl. "Besides- soon I'll be a warrior, and you won't be able to boss me around anymore." He seemed to snicker slightly, almost swaggering with confidence.

What a cruel twist of irony if he had actually managed to screw up his assessment.

A few moons ago, Blossomfall would have been miffed, if not infuriated, by his comment. However, her eyes glittered with a playful sparkle. She didn't speak directly to Tigerpaw, but commented in a loud voice- clear and understandable to his ears, to the three littermate's father. "I see that your son is challenging you for your position as deputy." She meowed, sending him a sly smirk.

Lionblaze grinned. "Thank StarClan you aren't quite old enough." He seemed to purr, amused. "Let me have a few more moons at this position!" He mock pleaded. The golden tabby was just pleased to be joking around with one of his kits. Hollypaw was fretful and anxious, causing her to be silent. Spottedpaw looked unusually subdued, along with a touch of uncertainty. Tigerpaw was the only one that seemed confident, such that he was joking around with the warriors as they padded to the hunting position. He sighed, a bit lost in memories. Lionblaze remembered when his three kits were still in the nursery. He remembered how fragile his little son was- and now how big he has grown. Tigerpaw was as big as Lionblaze now!

Tigerpaw flushed at his father's comment, a bit embarrassed. "I wouldn't challenge you for the deputy position." The dark brown tabby tom meowed confidently, lifting his head and glancing at his father. "By the time you're leader, I'll be the best warrior this clan has ever seen. Not to mention, by then I will be a senior warrior, and maybe even have kits with Fi-" He stopped abruptly, flushing a deep shade of red. "I meant, by then I will be very popular. I will be the most likely choice for deputy- and then I won't have to challenge you for it- because you'll already be leader."

"Firepaw?" Hollypaw suddenly snickered, teasing her embarrassed brother. Her anxiety had faded for a moment, her overwhelming sense of amusement washing over it.

"Well- its _possible_." Tigerpaw replied, shrugging the comment off. Inside, his heart twisted with embarrassment and also a bit of longing. He missed her- but he couldn't spend time with her right now. He had to get his warrior name, and focus on figuring all of this dark forest stuff out.

"We're here." Mousewhisker announced solemnly, casting a fond glance at his apprentice. Icecloud looked vaguely concerned as her gaze flitted towards Spottedpaw, frowning slightly. Lionblaze gently stroked his tail along his daughters pelts, while flicking his son lightly on the ear. Tigerpaw tensed at the words. Blossomfall's eyes narrowed. Everyone had different reactions- but everyone's heart did a flip.

Immediately, the mentors stepped back. "We finished up pair hunting, and you all did brilliantly. However, now we have to assess your skills on hunting by yourself." Icecloud meowed to them, ears twitching.

Tigerpaw nodded solemnly. With that, the mentors stepped back.

"We'll be watching you as you hunt. Meet back here at dusk." Blossomfall meowed to them, flicking her tail. They were currently under the Sky Oak, meaning this was where they would met up later. Blossomfall seemed to twitch her whiskers twice, before meowing calmly. "Go. Good luck."

Lionblaze nodded kindly at his three kits, eyes warm. Cinderheart hadn't come, and in fact Lionblaze wouldn't have come but they had an extra warrior just in case some cat ran into a fox- and the golden tabby had insisted it be him. With that, their mentors split up and turned tail into the forest, leaving brambles rustling in their wake.

The three littermates stared at each other.

Then they turned tail and split up.

Tigerpaw wandered deeper into the undergrowth, his mind whirling. He looked around, expecting to see his mentor, but she had melded into the shadows. A prickle of unease and anxiety suddenly shot through him. What if he really did fail his assessment? What if he couldn't be a warrior?

Pushing his worries out of his mind, he bit his lip hard. _Think, Tigerpaw. Concentrate. _With that, the dark brown tabby tom relaxed slightly. He opened his jaws, tasting the air. A strong scent of mouse flooded his jaws, and he licked his lips in anticipation. His eyes instinctively trailed towards a twitch of movement, and he saw the mouse, crouched not too far away, nibbling on a little nut.

The amber-eyed tom made sure the wind wouldn't blow his scent to the mouse, then dropped into a low crouch, holding his tail straight out behind him. He made sure to even out his weight, so his paws would be light and balanced. He stiffened his tail, holding it straight so it wouldn't twitch and rustle the leaves. Then he slid forward, ears pinned against his head. As soon as he was within distance, he hooked his paws forward and pulled the mouse towards him, ending its life with a nip to the spine. The mouse hadn't even time to squeak in terror.

He smiled smugly, his insecurity vanishing. He dropped the mouse onto the ground, scraping some dirt over it, burying it. He could feel his mentor's wide smile on his pelt, despite being unable to actually see her.

His kill was silent- meaning there could still be prey around this area. He opened his jaws again, tasting the air. A faint scent of vole wafted towards his muzzle, and he bounded away from where he was. Tigerpaw headed towards a small stream, knowing that the vole was probably there. He grinned triumphantly as he was correct. It was sitting, oblivious to the danger it was in, next to the stream.

Tigerpaw dropped into a low crouch, holding his tail straight out behind him. He waggled his hind-paws, and was crept forward. He was just about to lunge when he heard a snap. Stiffening in shock, his eyes glanced to his paws, and he cursed inwardly as he saw a broken stick beneath it.

The vole was alert, but it seemed to stay.

The dark tabby tried again, but just as he lunged the vole skittered away. He immediately gave chase, pursuing after his prey. He pushed off the ground in a powerful leap, landing square on the vole and killing it with a single nip to the neck. He cringed slightly- hoping Blossomfall wasn't too disappointed in his messy kill.

He glanced up at the sky and realized he still had time to catch two more things.

Wandering back into the forest and away from the stream, he wondered with a smug smile and a cocky self-confidence, what his warrior name would be.

…

It was dusk.

Tigerpaw yawned sleepily as he sat, bored, near the Sky Oak. Blossomfall was next to him, and along were two mice, a vole and a sparrow. He flicked his gaze upwards as he saw Hollypaw bounding towards him, a large squirrel in her jaws and a plump thrush in her mentor's. They sat down as well. Lionblaze then bounded forward, Spottedpaw and Icecloud behind him. Two mice were dangling from her jaws, whilst a third dangled from her mentor's.

"I think you've all done well." Mousewhisker concluded, dropping the thrush momentarily as he spoke. "Lets head back to camp." Then he picked up the sparrow again, and with a light flick of his tail they padded back.

The three littermates were tired, yet their enthusiasm sparked at the prospect of going back to camp. Tigerpaw grabbed his two mice and followed the rest of the patrol. Excited, he chatted with his littermates and his father as they bounded back to camp.

…

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highledge!" Bramblestar yowled, eyes glowing warmly.

Their mentors had already spoken to the dark tabby, and they all agreed that the three littermates had passed. Hollypaw and Tigerpaw especially did well. Now they were finally going to have their warrior ceremony.

Cats began to pad out of their dens and gather around Highledge. Tigerpaw fidgeted nervously, extremely excited. Cinderheart was fussing over Hollypaw, while Lionblaze was grooming Spottedpaw. The pale gray she-cat seemed to be more of a daddy's she-cat. Then with a dreaded sigh, Cinderheart stalked towards him, finishing up with Hollypaw.

"Honestly!" She exclaimed, eyes narrowed. "Anyone would have thought I was raising a rogue!" With that, she began to furiously lick at his pelt, untangling knots. "Did you see the state of your tail?" She mumbled, tugging at a knot with her teeth.

Tigerpaw rolled his eyes. "It's fine."

He wasn't really paying much attention to his family. His eyes sought out one cat, and one cat only. Firepaw. He noticed her flaming ginger pelt crouched a bit further away from the rest of the crowd, she looked slightly lost and alone. He wanted so desperately to touch his muzzle to her cheek and reassure her that it would be her turn soon, but he shook his head. He knew he couldn't get distracted by her again. He needed to focus. He was becoming a warrior- but that wasn't enough. Tigerpaw knew he had to figure out all this 'Tigerstar' before he could think of settling down with anyone. By anyone, he meant Firepaw. But yet… what he was planning to do…

"Today I am doing one of my favorite things as clan leader." Bramblestar started, but his eyes glowed excitedly. Lionblaze had nodded, satisfied with the state of his youngest daughter's fur, and padded back to his leader. Being deputy, he was supposed to sit next to the leader. Tigerpaw noticed him glancing worriedly at the crowd, and followed his gaze towards Firepaw. The young tom knew that Lionblaze's mentor-apprentice bond with his best friend was strong. "There are three cats who have passed their warrior assessments and are ready to become warriors. Icecloud, Mousewhisker, Blossomfall, do you feel your apprentices are ready?"

Icecloud nodded, "Spottedpaw is ready."

Mousewhisker was more enthusiastic, his eyes affectionate as he glanced fondly at Hollypaw. "She'll be a warrior ThunderClan can be proud of."

Tigerpaw glanced nervously at his mentor, and she, too, looked amused that he was still fearful of her rejection. "Tigerpaw is… very skilled and determination. He will be a great warrior."

He smiled faintly at his mentor, and he saw a whisper of a smile trace her lips.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard in the ways of your warrior code, and I commend them as warriors to you in turn. Hollypaw, Spottedpaw, Tigerpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" Bramblestar meowed.

"I do." Hollypaw spoke first, sounding determined and also enthusiastic.

"I do." Tigerpaw meowed, determined to be the loudest of all three siblings.

There was an unnerving silence that followed.

Spottedpaw was glancing back and forth between her leader and Jayfeather, looking torn. Finally, she bowed her head in defeat as she made her choice. "I do." Her voice was a broken whisper.

The dark tabby tom felt awful. His sister wanted to be a medicine cat, but she couldn't.

Bramblestar seemed to notice as well, but he carried on. However, the soon-to-be warrior noticed a flicker of sympathy in his amber depths. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Hollypaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Hollyfrost. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and determination, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

She stepped forward, and rasped her tongue across his shoulder. He rested his muzzle lightly on her head. Then the newly named Hollyfrost stepped back, glowing with happiness.

"Spottedpaw, from this moment on, you will known as Spottedfur. StarClan honors your kindness and compassion, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan." He continued, and the she-cat stepped forward, licking his muzzle. He rested his muzzle lightly on her head.

Then his gaze turned towards Tigerpaw. He felt his heart twist and he wanted to scream with anxiety.

"Tigerpaw, from this day-" He began.

Tigerpaw cut him off. "Wait." The words tumbled out of his mouth, and he suddenly realized that he could feel his heart beating from every part of his body. Blood roared in his ears, and black spots seemed to swarm his vision.

He ignored the shocked gasps that arose from around him. Cries of surprise and hisses of anger were heard as he interrupted his own warrior assessment. His eyes flickered towards Firepaw, who was sitting a bit further away from all the other cats. Her green eyes were fixed on me as she watched him intently. His throat suddenly felt dry, and he wondered if he was doing the right thing.

Tigerpaw had been planning this ever since he had requested some time apart from Firepaw.

"I would like to request it end in something to do with fire." He meowed, his swaggering self-confidence gone. Suddenly everything dimmed, except for Firepaw. She looked shocked, her eyes round as moons. Yet there was a sparkle to her. All eyes were darting between the two apprentices. They seemed to be lost in their own world. "It is in recognition of Firepaw." He seemed to forget that it was a warrior assessment. He seemed to forget everything but her. Vaguely he noticed that he had been doing that a lot. "Firepaw is the most amazing cat I have ever met. She has the most beautiful and soft fur, the most radiant eyes, and a smile that can make me feel like the happiest tom in the whole lake. I had never expected that she give me this chance- and for that chance to be her friend, or possibly more, has made me eternally in her debt." Then he seemed to stop with his speech, and was just talking directly to her. "I know that you're sad that you aren't getting your warrior name yet- but I hope that this dedication makes that whole moon of waiting so much less painful. I'm so glad that you've given me this chance."

Her purr burst out of her chest, and most cats had to bite down on their tongues to prevent from cheering.

"Alright." Bramblestar agreed, his eyes glowing with affection as he stared at his daughter. "Tigerpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Tigerflame. StarClan honors your strength and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Before he had even finished speaking, rapturous cheers and applause exploded from his flushed a deep shade of red, and licked his leader's shoulder. Bramblestar rested his muzzle on the dark tabby tom's head.

He hardly heard it over all the cheers, but there was a faint whisper from Bramblestar. "Thank you." He had meowed softly. "Treat her well."

"Tigerflame! Spottedfur! Hollyfrost!" The clan cheered.

Tigerflame didn't take notice of any other cats that came up to congratulate him. He only saw Firepaw. There were tears in her eyes as she stared at him, her whole body quivering. He raced towards her, his heart pumping.

"I know you're probably still mad at me for not talking to you. For focusing. And I know that you're going to be even more mad that I had gotten my name before you- instead of waiting." Tigerflame whispered, his chest heaving.

Firepaw sniffed haughtily, despite the tears clinging to her eyelashes. "You're right." She meowed, laughing. "I am mad."

He grinned cockily at her. "Well you're about to be infuriated." He told her. "I can't be with you… not yet. You need to get your warrior name. I need to focus on my past self. I know its selfish of me, but…"

She cut him off. "You dedicated your name to me." She told him, eyes round. "I don't think I'll ever think of you as selfish again."

He loved her so much he couldn't possibly express it in words. He loved her more than any other tom loved his mate. She was the most important thing in his world. She was the center of his universe. He laughed too, his eyes glistening. She shoved her muzzle against his shoulder, laughing and crying at the same time. He wrapped his tail tight around her, never wanting to let her go.


	31. Thirty: Fire

_Thank you for all the reviews, favs, and follows! I can't believe we are almost at 70 favs and 90 follows! -squeals- :D :D _

_Anyway, this chapter may be a bit dark. The last part, at least. It also may be a bit creepy (to some people, at least)- and I hope I don't creep any of you guys out._

...

Firepaw forced herself to push away her exhaustion as she trailed after her mentor.

Her gaze flitted around the clearing, hoping to see him, but he wasn't there. After Tigerflame had received his warrior name, he didn't have to do all his apprentice learning and he had a lot more free time on his paws. Which meant that he could think about and try to piece everything together often, and he _always _went out to the forest to think about it. He always did caught at least two pieces of prey and went on one border patrol a day, but for the rest of his day- he was always lost in his thoughts.

The gray tabby medicine cat had decided to wait until after he had gotten his warrior name to go to the Moonpool, and had also returned from the Moonpool recently. His eyes were a dull blue color as he returned, and his body looked gaunt- despite the fact that it was new-leaf and he was probably well-fed.

"Where are we going?" The ginger she-cat yawned, despite her trying to push her tiredness away. Her eyelids were drooping and she had to fight against closing her eyes fully. "Are we gonna talk to the other cats?"

Lionblaze glanced at her, slightly concerned. "If you're tired, you should go to your nest." He meowed to her, not unkindly. She shook her head no- she didn't want to go to her nest. His sun-colored amber eyes gleamed in the sleepy moonlight, and he tilted his head to the side. "We're going to go out to the forest with Ivypool, Dovewing, Jayfeather and Tigerflame to talk."

The ginger she-cat nodded solemnly, fixing her green eyes on him. "You know… I think that Tigerflame is alike to Tigerstar in some good ways. They both are great fighters, both are good battle strategics, and both have ambition. But I don't think I'm alike to Firestar at all, aside from my physical appearance." She twitched her whiskers in wonder. "I'm not as kind and open-hearted as him. I'm not as courageous as him. Or as tough."

The golden tabby purred softly, "You are as smart and loyal as him, though." He meowed, licking her lightly over the ears. "Don't undermine yourself Firepaw. You might just end up as great as Firestar someday."

"Probably not." She shrugged. "But I don't mind."

With that, the two cats trotted side-by-side into the forest. They chatted easily, purring in amusement and also nodding in seriousness. Firepaw sighed, wondering what it would have been like if Lionblaze had been her mentor all along. Then she would have been a warrior with Tigerflame those few days ago. She wouldn't have had all these set backs. But then again- she never would have asked Tigerflame to train her, thus causing them not to have the same bond. She tilted her head. Why was it that something bad always seemed to cause something good? And something good always seems to cause something bad?

As they padded deeper into the undergrowth, she found herself get more and more alert. They both crawled under a clump of brambles, and she pulled herself to her paws on the other side. She snickered as she spotted Lionblaze- he was still wiggling underneath, his fur caught in multiple tendrils and leaves. With an irritated grunt, he yanked himself free of the bramble, leaving tufts of his golden fur behind. He frowned in annoyance.

"Oh, StarClan." He snapped, rolling his eyes. "I've lost half my pelt in that mouse-brained bramble!" Firepaw couldn't help but giggle at his misfortune, yet as he swerved around to glance at her she forced herself to maintain a straight face. "Are you laughing at me?" He meowed, narrowing his eyes in amusement.

"No… Why would you think that?" She meowed, coughing heavily to try to avoid giggling. Her mentor just huffed, twitching his ears and shaking leaves out of his pelt.

When they arrived, they realized they were the last ones there. Dovewing looked anxious- probably from having to leave her kits, while Ivypool and Jayfeather were rolling their eyes in irritation. Tigerflame looked cute as always as he lifted his gaze and shyly ducked his head when he saw her. She felt a purr rumble in her chest.

"Finally." Jayfeather sighed heavily, lashing his tail. "Dovewing has been complaining nonstop about being away from her kits. Honestly. They aren't going to die during the while that you're gone." He looked irritable. As always. At Dovewing's grumble, Ivypool snickered.

"Well- we're here now." Lionblaze stated, ears twitching. "What are we here to talk about?"

"What do you think?" Jayfeather grumbled, still looking annoyed by Dovewing.

"Wait…" Firepaw meowed suddenly, an idea suddenly striking her. Her eyes widened in shock at the possibility. "Why didn't the Dark Forest die out?"

Ivypool blinked calmly at the ginger she-cat. "It is because we didn't thoroughly defeat them. In fact- we never even severed the bonds between them and us." She frowned suddenly, then nodded. "Yeah. We defeated their leaders- and that was a major setback for them. But we never really severed the bond."

"So is that what we have to do now?" Dovewing inquired, her pale pelt bristling. "I…" She lowered her gaze, as if embarrassed. "I feel like we should try our best to do so. Its… I don't know- maybe it's just that I'm a mother now, but I suddenly feel this overwhelming sense of protectiveness. But how?" Her pale gaze swept across the group of cats surrounding her, and her ears flattened. "Without our powers… we're just like any other cats. There isn't anything special about us. Are we kidding ourselves by thinking that we could do this?"

Tigerflame's eyes flashed as he stared at her defiantly. "Definitely not." He meowed gruffly, his amber eyes darkening. "Despite the fact that you guys are stripped of your powers- you are definitely not normal cats. You guys have been deciphering this prophecy ever since you were just apprentices!" He exclaimed, eyes wide. "Ivypool has risked her life to try and spy on the Dark Forest, and she was named a hero- despite the fact that she didn't have any powers. Would you call her regular?" He cocked his head to the side, staring at the silver-and-white tabby, who looked a bit embarrassed. "Someone with as much courage and determination as her- I don't think is just 'regular'."

"He's right." Lionblaze piped up, looking proud as he gazed at his son. Firepaw nodded, the golden tabby should be proud. He had two beautiful daughters and his son was really turning out to be quite the noble cat. "We just need to figure out how to severe the bonds between the dark forest and us. The dark forest was created along with StarClan, wasn't it?" Jayfeather nodded solemnly, his blind jay-blue gaze fixated on his brother. "Well… then we just have to go back to the Old Forest."

Every cat gasped, except for Jayfeather. The pale gray tabby tom's fur lifted on his spine, and he looked utterly appalled that his brother had thought of the idea. "The Old Forest?" He exclaimed. "That… that might actually work! When I had gone to StarClan, I saw Yellowfang. It was happening again- the dark forest is sucking the nutrition from StarClan. It was leaf-fall there- and I could see that snow was threatening to fall in a place that _never _snows. StarClan can't do anything to help us- they are powerless to do so. But I know that we need to save the clans."

Firepaw watched as the gray tabby tom's eyes flashed, as he seemed to remember the memory of the meeting.

…

_The sky was a dull, gloomy gray, streaked with dusky blue and brown. The trees were slowly turning bare, the soft green becoming vibrant reds, oranges, browns, and yellows. The grass was dry and a sharp yellow color, withering. It was dry, and crunched as he stepped forward. Alarm shot through him. What was going on?_

_Mist clouded his vision, and his ears flattened against his head. He struggle to see through the thickness of the fog, of which was cold as it touched his pelt. His gray fur was ruffled, and his jay-blue eyes were blinking hard, as if unwilling to believe what he was seeing._

_"Is this StarClan?" He asked, to nobody in particular._

_He sat there, silent and alone, desperately wishing someone would come. Come to speak to him- to help him understand what was truly going on. Thank StarClan, two shapes managed to stagger forward._

_"Jayfeather…" A blue-furred she-cat meowed, smiling to him. He could see it was strained. But that wasn't what astounded him most. Her normally thick-furred, sleek pelt, was now patchy and ragged. Streaks of gray and white dashed through her pelt, and she held the gaunt look of an elder. The cat beside her was still ragged and unclean as always, but she suddenly looked so much older. They both looked so frail. "I'm glad to see you."_

_"Whats happened to you?" He cried, anxiety grasping his heart. He felt like a kit, crying out for its mother. Why was StarClan like this? What had caused them to lose their youth- their energy? "Why do… what…" He trailed off, at a loss for words._

_Bluestar sighed, looking weary. "I suppose this is what I get for tampering with fate." She plopped down, wincing with pain as she set her body gently on the ground. "All the cats in StarClan… they are becoming dreadfully old, their bones frail and their bodies weak. We are all elders- despite the cats who had died in their youth. Great StarClan," She meowed in shock, "Even apprentices are looking as old as me!"_

_The gray she-cat beside her nodded harshly. "I don't know what kind of nonsense the dark forest has gotten up with- but we can't see it." She snapped, looking irritated. "Why did you think we couldn't tell you anything?" Her voice was dry as she smiled wryly at him. "Do you think we just thrive to see you suffer as you try to decipher something that isn't meant to be deciphered? We have nothing to tell you, simply because there is nothing. There is no prophecy, Jayfeather. There is no insight. We don't know anything."_

_"But…" The tabby tom protested, "you have to know something! Anything!" He shook his head wildly, but even as he spoke, the fog seemed to get thicker. He felt the dampened air surge into his lungs, and he suddenly felt mildly suffocated, and forced himself to even out his breathing and to calm his panic. "We've figured out Tigerflame being Tigerstar, and Firepaw being Firestar! We learned that the Dark Forest has a plan. Tigerflame had told me already, that his evil half has split the connection between them so that he can't see what happens when they dream. Well- most of the time, anyway."_

_The blue-furred she-cat sighed, her flecks of white fur blending with the frost that coated the ground. "We are so weak, Jayfeather." She told him miserably. "The Dark forest learns from their mistakes. We had helped you guys last time, but not this time. We simply cannot." Her eyes flashed as she stared solemnly into him. "You must learn from your mistakes as well! Do not let the clans divide once again! We must stick together."_

_Yellowfang just snorted in annoyance. "Fools." She muttered under her breath, but said no more._

_"Okay." Jayfeather nodded, twitching his tail. "We'll stick together. But how are we to find out the plan? Who is going to be helping us with this?"_

_"Tigerflame," Bluestar rasped, her eyes too bright. "He has almost all of the pieces of the puzzle- but he can't seem to figure it out. You must question him."_

_Yellowfang nodded solemnly. "Firepaw has a destiny of her own to fulfill. It does not mingle much with Firestar- in fact if she had been a tom, it may not have worked out. But you must remember that she is also Firestar- and he can help you." _

_Jayfeather understood immediately- the plan had to do with love. Affection. A love that a cat would hold for another, if they were to be mates. Despite the fact that he hadn't one- he knew how it felt to love a cat such that they would do so much for them. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, as he thought about the pretty white she-cat whom had been the one that he had cared about. Half Moon._

_"Rock." Bluestar whispered. "The Old Forest. The Moonstone. The tribe. There are so many cats of which you can speak to, Jayfeather. You will find the help you so desire." She shook her head sadly. "But it won't be from us. We have been your guidance for many moons- but we are so weak, we can't help you anymore. Some force… something from the dark forest, its eating us alive."_

_"What do you think it is?" Jayfeather whispered._

_"Firepaw," Yellowfang growled. "We should never have tampered with fate. Now we are paying the price for being such mouse-brains. The ginger she-cat was the most noble, the most pure, and yet managed to fall in love with the darkest of hearts. The one who had killed countless. He is there, and yet he is not. He is here, and yet he is not. StarClan and the Dark Forest is balanced, you see." She nodded solemnly._

_"Without the Dark Forest, there would be no StarClan." Bluestar meowed, her throat dry. "When the Dark Forest gets stronger, we get weaker. When we get stronger, they get weaker. We co-exist. We cannot live without one another. However, there is a way. You can severe their tie with the living world, instead of completely destroy them. That is what you must do. I cannot tell you how, but I know that it is what you must do. That is the key to saving the clans."_

_"All the clans." Yellowfang meowed, lowering her gaze. "Including StarClan."_

_The mist had a foul taste to it, and suddenly Jayfeather couldn't breathe anymore. He crumpled down, gasping and writhing violently on the ground, his heart hammering. Then he was falling, falling back into the world of reality._

…

"The Old Forest. We have to severe the tie of the Dark Forest. But how?" Jayfeather demanded, his eyes flashing as he stared at Tigerflame, not unkindly. "How?"

Tigerflame looked overwhelmed. "I… I don't know?" He trailed off, tilting his head to the side.

"Figure out the plan!" Jayfeather almost shouted at him. "We don't have time!"

Tigerflame looked mad now. "I'm trying, don't you see?" He snapped back. "I'm trying!"

They began to shout, both irritated.

Suddenly, Firepaw fell backwards. The forest flashed from her vision, and was replaced by a single black tom. They were in the place they met- the stream. He stared at her, amber eyes like twin flames.

"Breezepelt?" She gasped, eyes wide. Hot fury surged through her, and she scrambled to her paws. "I'll kill you." She snarled, her pelt fluffing up. "You are one of the most despicable cats I had ever met!"

He looks unfazed, and cocky as ever, as he rasps his tongue over his paw and draws it neatly across his face. "Thanks." He meowed simply. "I try."

Glowering, she stormed towards him. "What are you doing here? What am I doing here?" Something was stopping her from striking him, and she just seethed in anger as she stood there, quivering, nostrils flaring.

"My, my," He meowed in mock surprise, "Are you not pleased to see me?" He looked wounded. "I'm hurt, I truly am."

She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want, Breezepelt." She snapped.

"I'm sorry to have pulled you out of that most interesting conversation. Seemed like it was really going well, by the way." He snarked, looking amused. "But what I have to say is more important than watching one of StarClan's hero's and our precious, cat-slaying Tigerstar argue."

Firepaw seethed, but yet was unable to lift her paw and strike him. It was as if some invisible force was tugging her paw down, and keeping it pressed firmly against the ground. "You're just a mouse-brained, slimy piece of fox-"

"Oh, hush." Breezepelt sighed, and she let out a surprised choke as her mouth suddenly snapped shut. She stared at him in shock mingled with surprise. "This is a dream, you know." He chuckled at her frown. "No, of course it isn't my dream. Nor is it yours. Its simply hers," With that, he flicked his black tail at a small brown shape crouched behind some fronds, her amber eyes huge.

Firepaw tried to speak, but with a hiss of frustration found she couldn't.

"Enough with this nonsense," He sighed, rolling his eyes. "I'm here to tell you something important." He flattened his ears against his head. "I truly hope you will forgive me for what I've done."

She stared incredulously at him. Her… forgiving him? That was almost as unbelievable as him asking for her forgiveness.

"All I ever wanted was to be loved, you know." Breezepelt meowed, his voice cold as ice. "You and I, we aren't that different. We are both outcasts, especially by our own parents. My father never really cared for me either. My mother did care for me of course, but it sucked to never be able to please my father." His voice lowered. "I know how you feel about those new kits, Firepaw."

At her startled glance, he simply rolled his eyes.

"Don't think I haven't been keeping a watch on you, my favorite little ThunderClan kitty." His gaze hardened. "I know about your mother's pregnancy. When I found out I had half-siblings, I was furious. It was worse for me, of course, them being _my _age and half being related to me. Their mother and my father were traitors. They betrayed me and my mother, and our clans." He tilted his head to the side. "I know you may think of me vile and disgusting, but let me ask you this. Why should I be loyal to a clan that is full of traitors- my father being one of them? Why would I stay loyal to a code that has been broken more times than moons I've been alive? The code that had been broken, and trampled all over, by my very own father?"

She opened her mouth, then raised an eyebrow. He shrugged.

"You don't need to answer me, my precious Firepaw." His voice was a coo, and he stepped forward, winding himself around her. His touch made her feel sick to the stomach. "We are very much the same. Don't worry- we can rid you of that disgusting kittypet leader's presence. I know that you think that I wanted to kill you, just out of the pure evilness of my heart. But I really didn't." He frowned, looking disappointed. "I really didn't want to kill you. You're such a prized specimen. So extraordinary. So beautiful. So smart and talented." He purred. "Oh, yes, you really are one of a kind."

He reached forward to stroke her cheek, but she stiffened. She struggled against the invisible force that caused her to stay still, and she tried to sink her teeth into his ugly tail, but she couldn't. Hissing in frustration, she dug her claws into the earth.

"Now, now," Breezepelt meowed, as if talking to a kit. He seemed to have sense her frustration. "I know that you may not share the feelings I possess for you."

She tried to open her mouth. He seemed to be allowing her to speak, and smiled lightly at her. Suddenly her lips were freed, and she let out a groan. "What feelings are these?" She managed to croak out.

"Love." He meowed simply.

She doubled-back. Then she let out a sarcastic laugh. "Sure. You try to kill me to show me your love? Sounds like a pretty good way."

"I told you." His eyes flashed with anger. "That wasn't my fault!" He seemed to roar, and with that he raked his claws across the ground, sending dirt flying. "It. Wasn't. My. Fault!" His eyes gleamed with an odd, faraway look, and Firepaw shot a panicked glance at the brown she-cat. She looked frightened too, her eyes locking with Firepaw's.

"Okay!" Firepaw meowed, interrupting him. She shrunk back, afraid. "Okay." She tried to speak more calmly. "So why have you come here… to talk to me… in her dream..?" She glanced at the brown she-cat. She looked as bewildered as Firepaw.

Breezepelt seemed to calm down slightly, and narrowed his eyes. "I've come to make you a deal." He meowed slowly, ears flattening against his head. He looked slightly afraid.

"A deal…?" Firepaw questioned.

"A deal. I'll give you information about the Dark Forest. About their plans." Breezepelt meowed, looking calm.

Her heart pounded against her chest. "In return for what?" A horrified whisper.

His eyes gleamed. "You."

She stepped further away from him, as far away as she could. "What do you mean… me?"

"I've never met a she-cat like you, Firepaw!" He gasped, looking crazed. "I thought it may have been Heathertail… but it wasn't. It was never her. It was always you. I knew it from the moment I first saw you. I love you, Firepaw! You're going to be _my _mate. We're destined to be with each other!"

"What exactly do you want me to do?" She meowed, trying to take it all in.

"I'll help you." Breezepelt meowed, his voice rough. "But you have to swear and agree. If you don't uphold your side of the deal- I swear to everything, I'll kill Tigerflame. I know you love him- but someday you'll love me just as much. After I help you defeat the Dark Forest- I'm willing to give up everything for you- you must come to be with me."

In her heart, she already knew what he was going to say. But she had a tiny, tiny, thread of hope that it wasn't that.

"Firstly, to show that you agree with me- you are going to let me leave a mark on you. Since you couldn't possibly bear my kits," He meowed. She swallowed hard- thanking StarClan that he was dead. "You know who my grandfather is, Firepaw." He nodded, a sick smile splitting his face. "Deadfoot."

Her throat was dry, and she tasted blood. "What about him?"

"He had a twisted paw, you know." Breezepelt tilted his head to the side. "I want a sign that you are alike to my family. I want you to twist your _left _paw. Make it useless. This way you can never run from me- and even if you do, you'll always remember that you're mine."

Her world was spinning around her, but she knew she had to think about everyone, not just herself. Tigerflame. She had to think of Tigerflame as well. "What else?" She knew that couldn't be his only possible demand.

"After I help you defeat the Dark Forest, after everything is all over… you kill yourself. In that mossy clearing, where my body is. You go there, and I'll help you dream your way into the Dark Forest. Then you can kill yourself there." He smiled widely. "We'll be together forever there. Only the two of us, that whole forest for ourselves. Everyone else would have been killed off. We can be in love there."

Firepaw resisted the urge to throw up, thinking about spending the rest of eternity with him. But she was conscious of his crazed gaze on her pelt, and she forced herself to smile bravely. "I'll think about it." Was all she managed to say.

"Don't take too long," His eyes flashed. "I'll visit you again in a quarter moon."

The small brown she-cat shot an apologetic look at Firepaw, her eyes wide and sorrowful. _I'm sorry_, She mouthed. With that, Firepaw let out a shriek as the ground opened at her feet and she plummeted downwards.

The forest re-appeared, and Firepaw blinked hard. She was lying on the ground, and cats were standing above her, looking worried.

"Firepaw? Are you okay?" Tigerflame meowed anxiously.

She coughed hard. "Yeah." She whispered, feeling shaken up.

"What happened?" Dovewing asked softly.

Firepaw stared at the queen's face. She had four newborn kits to protect. There were countless cats that hadn't even been born yet, but they would be. There were many cats here who she had to protect. Many cats in StarClan, noble cats, who she had to protect. It was one life to save millions. But she had a tiny twinge of doubt. Firestar was the hero- not her. Could she really do it?

Taking a deep breath, her vision clearing, she locked her gaze with Jayfeather. "I think I may be able to get the plan from the Dark Forest cats."


	32. Thirty-One: Tiger

_ Thanks for all the reviews/favs/follows! ^.^_

_Review Replies:_

_**kate23816**:haha, i know right. Breezepelt is so creepy ._._

_**Stream that Flows Around Rock:** Haha. Thank you. :) Breezepelt loves Firepaw- but not in the same way as Tigerflame. Breezepelt believes that they are destined to be together, and he has developed an obsession on her. Since he's so fixated on her, he would do anything to get her to be with him... so yeah. Creepy. :P_

_**Pryocatz603:** Actually, since Lionblaze and Firepaw aren't really siblings- more like cousins really, they would be like second cousins. :P But yeah, I know what you mean. They are related in a way of their physical forms, but their souls aren't related at all- because Firepaw is still mostly Firestar (just doesn't act such like him) and Tigerstar is really Tigerpaw, but he doesn't act like Tigerstar. Or something. I explain it in one chapter- don't remember which. :P_

_**Scourge:**Haha it feels weird to be calling you Scourge. ^.^ Anyway, I'm sorry but Redkit isn't Redtail and Spottedfur isn't Spottedleaf. D: Plus, haha, that would be funny. :)_

_**DaughterofTheHuntress:**Thank you!:) + She might not want to accept it, but its for the good of the clans! 0: What will she do?_

_**StarStripe:** Maybe. 0:_

_**A random Reader:** It is? :O I thought it was Dovewing and Bumblestripe who did that. _

_**Swimming Trees**: ^_^ Stories are boring if its just romance, imo._

_**Slightly Disturbed Cookie Girl:** :O Gobsmacked. + Haha, Firepaw... so much pressure. ):_

_**MistClan505:** :D It was very creepy, I agree. Imagine if that happened to you 0-: Idk what I would have done._

_**Lionshine**:OuO You support TigerxOwl? I think TigerxOwl was adorable as good friends and when they were kits, but I like TigerxFire. I also really like FirexSnow. 0_()_

_**So Cheesy:** Thank you!^_^ What trip was it... •¬• I don't even remember what I had for dinner last night lols ):_

_**SwiftStar of ThunderClan:** D: I know. It's creepy._

_**Skyfur02**: It is a bad type of deal. :O + Haha, Tigerflame murder Breezepelt secretly and let him fade. Sounds like a gud plan. :D_

_**Cookie Platter:** Thank you ^_^_

**_ T_**_**heFanfiction Master:** Is he tricking her though? :OOO_

_**RedSparrowOwl:** Thank you! :)_

_**Ravenflame2025:** You'll just have to wait and see :D_

...

"How?"

Tigerflame felt a flare of hope in his heart, his amber eyes staring at the beautiful apprentice before him. He scraped his paw anxiously over the ground, his claws pushing up a cloud of dust. Firepaw was biting her lip, chewing on it, looking torn and anxious. Confused, he desperately tried to catch her gaze, to try and guess what was wrong, but she had fixated her emerald gaze firmly on her paws right after she had spoken.

Her tail quivered as she spoke, "I was offered a deal." She meowed quietly, ears flattened against her head. Her whole body was shaking, and she looked as if she hated the idea of herself taking the deal- but had come to a depressed agreement with it. "Breezepelt was the one who had proposed it. He promised that he would give me information on the dark forest… if I twisted my left paw and-" She suddenly bit her tongue, and she shook her head violently, squeezing her eyes shut. When she re-opened them, there was a ring of white around the green. "yeah… and yeah."

Lionblaze and Tigerflame exchanged worried glances- there was something that she wasn't telling them.

"Why does he want you to twist your left paw?" Lionblaze beat him to the question, his ears pricked and eyes narrowed in concern. The dark tabby knew his father took mentoring very seriously- and often developed a deep, sentimental bond with his apprentice. He looked concerned, but didn't even try to conceal the rage that was simmering in him. There was obviously a lot of unresolved anger and hatred between the two half-siblings. "How will that benefit him in any way?"

The ginger she-cat suddenly arched her back, eyes narrowing into slits. "I don't know!" She hissed. She looked so miserable, so pathetic. Like a cornered kit. Frightened out of her mind, and yet still willing to put up a fight. "That was just the deal. Why in the name of StarClan would Breezepelt do anything?" She lashed her tail. However, she hadn't met _any _of their gazes ever since she had started speaking- and Tigerflame knew she was hiding something.

"Are you going to take it?" As always, Tigerflame was surprised by Ivypool's calmness. The silver-and-white she-cat looked cool, but their was a flicker of worry in those blue depths. "Are you going to accept his deal?" She tilted her head, but her gaze remained focused on the slender apprentice before her.

Firepaw shuffled her paws, then after what felt like a lifetime, finally gave a tiny shrug. "I don't know." She meowed in a tiny voice.

"There might be another way…" Dovewing meowed, but she didn't look believing. In fact, her voice was filled with doubt and her gaze was fixed on her paws. As a mother, she probably understood the meaning of 'love' in a whole new way. She was probably imagining it were one of her own kits who was forced to do this.

Jayfeather shook his head firmly. "I don't think there _is _another way." He meowed, annunciating every word clearly. "Without Ivypool spying for us last time, we would have been completely blindsided by their plan. Not to mention- this time we won't have the help of StarClan." He sighed, shoulders sagging. "And Rock hasn't spoken to me ever since the Great battle. I think this deal is the best offer we have so far."

Firepaw looked more and more panicked at every word he said, her green orbs widening in fear and horror. Tigerflame had been silent during the whole exchange- the only cat who hadn't spoken yet. His heart was hammering in his chest- and he knew the deal was far worse than what Firepaw let in on. But why wasn't she telling the truth? Why was she keeping it a secret? Lionblaze cast a worried glance at his apprentice, and coughed loudly.

"I think we can continue discussing about that later. For now, we should talk to Bramblestar perhaps. The next gathering is in just a half-moon, and we will probably want him to announce it to the other clans… so they can start getting prepared?" Lionblaze suggested, shrugging.

"No. Not yet. What we need to do is talk to Bramblestar about a journey." Jayfeather meowed, eyes narrowed. "We need about four or five cats to go on a journey to the Tribe. We can ask them for reinforcements- not to mention I could speak with their ancestors, and ask them questions. They aren't weak… at least, not yet."

Tigerflame spoke for the first time. "Who would be going?" His voice was shaky, and he realized his heart was still pounding, his mind full of images of Firepaw screaming in pain as she held her injured paw to her chest, crying and writhing violently, only knowing agony.

"Not Dovewing, as she has kits. Not Firepaw, she needs to finish her apprenticeship and…" Jayfeather trailed off, then abruptly kept talking. "Ivypool and I will go. Are you two up for it?" The gray tabby stared at father and son, and Tigerflame exchanged a glance with his father.

"I'll go." Tigerflame offered, flattening his ears to his head. "Lionblaze… you should stay here with Cinderheart, Firepaw, and my sisters."

He opened his jaws to protest, "What about my being there with Jayfeather and you? You guys are my brother and son, you know." He objected, ears twitching.

Jayfeather shook his head. "You should stay with Firepaw. Finish up her apprenticeship." Jayfeather's eyes hardened as he gazed at his brother, as if he could actually see him. He didn't say it, but Tigerflame knew what he was really thinking. _Take care of Firepaw and her soon-to-be useless paw. Don't let her fall into depression. _"When I'm gone, Spottedfur can easily take my place temporarily as a medicine cat. She had always volunteered a lot, and I taught her a lot."

At his words, Tigerflame stiffened. He knew his father was uneasy too, the golden tabby tom squaring his shoulders, shifting his weight from paw to paw. Lionblaze was supportive, but it was hard to support a daughter who wanted to be a medicine cat when there were already _two _medicine cats.

Firepaw had been oddly quiet throughout the whole discussion. "So… I'm going to… I'm going to accept his offer?" She meowed, her voice slightly raspy and hollow.

"Its up to you." Ivypool meowed, not unkindly. "We aren't going to force you into doing something you don't want to do." She lightly flicked her sister on the shoulder, smiling softly. "We can go back to see your kits now. I should probably hunt as well." She nodded farewells, and Dovewing shot Firepaw one last reassuring smile, before the two sisters padded away.

Jayfeather and Lionblaze exchanged glances. "We'll go talk to Bramblestar." Jayfeather meowed. Lionblaze shot his son a hard glare, one that Tigerflame understood immediately. _Figure out whats going on with Firepaw. _Tigerflame managed the smallest nod necessary, trying to be as subtle as possible. After they padded away, the dark tabby hearing a hiss of pain from his father, and a bunch of brambles rattling, did Tigerflame finally stand up and sit closely next to Firepaw.

She didn't speak. Her eyes were unfocused and blurry, and once more he felt a twinge of worry.

"What is the actual deal he offered. Really." Tigerflame meowed to her, narrowing his eyes. "I know that theres more to it. I know you, Firepaw. I can see when you're frightened and disturbed."

Firepaw hissed, ears folding backwards. "You couldn't possibly be able to read my emotions." She scoffed, sounding indignant. But he knew it was just to make her sound more tough and less frightened. When she saw how serious the dark brown tabby was, she sighed. "It's nothing. Really."

"Tell me." Tigerflame pressed her, ears flattening against his head. "Come on Firepaw. You can tell me anything." He sighed in frustration as she didn't speak.

"I don't want to tell you." She muttered, ears flattened against her head.

"Please!" He begged her.

"No!" She shouted at him, her temper flaring. "You're not the only one who can keep secrets, you know. Is this how it is? That I'm supposed to tell you _everything_, while you tell me nothing? You still haven't told me why you're mood suddenly changed that time at the gathering. When you just abandoned me there. I thought you would be willing to spend a gathering with me, for StarClan's sakes!"

Tigerflame's jaw dropped.

"Not to mention," She rambled on. "I know that you've been thinking about my sister often. Do you even realize that the day before the gathering, during your sleep, you were murmuring her name? You kept whispering Owlpaw over and over. Do you know how that makes me feel? That you dream about my sister, my crazy sister who had risked my life in some maniac plan to win you over- and then all of a sudden you push me away? She's crazy, for StarClan's sakes!"

Tigerflame couldn't take it anymore. Something inside of him just snapped. "Don't talk about her like that!" He shouted, slamming his paw down against the ground.

The fiery she-cat stared at him, jaw agape, appalled into utter silence.

"I… I'm sorry." He stammered. "Its just… Owlpaw wasn't really right in the head, you know?" He felt horrible, wretched with guilt. He didn't want Firepaw to feel as if Owlpaw were better than her- because Firepaw was the one he loved, not Owlpaw. "I love you, not your sister, alright?"

Firepaw sighed heavily, plopping down onto the ground. "I know." She grumbled. "Its just… I can't tell you. Otherwise you'll talk me out of doing the deal."

Tigerflame frowned, could it possibly be that bad? "No, I promise. I won't try to talk you out of doing the deal. Just tell me, Firepaw. Please."

She sighed, her whiskers fluttering as she let out a deep breath. "Breezepelt told me that I have to twist my paw, yes? He has some sort of sick fantasy where the two of us will end up in love. StarClan knows why. It is like Ow-" She stops abruptly, feeling the tom next to her stiffen noticeably. "I mean, he's gone crazy. He tells me… after we help him… that I have to die in the Dark Forest. That I will be with him forever."

Tigerflame leapt to his paws. "No." He meowed roughly. "No." He shook his head. "I refuse. You can't go be with Breezepelt. We will find another way. I promise."

"No, Tigerflame." Firepaw shook her head sadly. "There is _no _other way. Im burning him alive with want. Like a fire in his heart." As she spoke, the words struck Tigerflame.

"W-wait." He whispered, trembling. "Say that again."

"Say what again?" She tilted her head to the side.

"What you just said." He meowed harshly, his heart thumping against his rib-cage.

"Like a fire in his heart?" Firepaw meowed, looking confused.

_"How!" Tigerpaw almost shouts at her. "How do I find it? Tell me!" _

_A little frown appears on her face. "I've always thought of you to be intelligent. The answer you seek for lies right in front of you. Remember this- as evil as he may seem, he isn't. He was, and is, never truly evil. His heart hasn't frozen over- there is a spark of warmth in it. A fire." She seemed to put empathy on the last word. "There is a fire in his heart."_

_The dark tabby stiffens. "You mean me?"_

_"Of course not!" Owlpaw seems to be shouting at him. "He's more important than you realize! Do not forget what I have told you. There's a fire in his heart- and it's warding off the darkness that is currently surrounding him. He's bitter and full of hatred- but someone can change that. The fire inside of his heart! Never forget the fire!"_

_"What are you talking about?" He screams at her, frustrated. "Stop speaking nonsense and just tell me already."  
><em>

Everything falls into place.

Tigerflame crumples into a heap, pressing his face against the cool earth. Tears cling to his eyelashes, and he feels his heart squeeze with strain. The fire in his heart. It had been Breezepelt all along! He was the one who was in love with Firepaw! He was the solution to everything. Oh, StarClan, why? Why did it have to be him? Why did it have to be Firepaw? Why?

Somewhere, deep inside his heart, he knew why. It was because villains _never _got the happy endings. He wouldn't get his happy ending. Was Breezepelt a villain? Presumably so, but not as bad as Tigerflame. Tigerflame had _lost _his happy ending. Tears began to stream down his cheeks, such so that he began to choke on them.

"Tigerflame? Whats happening? Are you okay?" Firepaw meows, concerned.

Tigerflame wanted so desperately to be selfish. To grab Firepaw tight and never let her go. To tell her she simply cannot accept the deal. But he had to think about more than just them.

"Yes." He whispered between gulps of air. "Firepaw…" He lifted his gaze, and locked his gaze with hers. Amber met green, and they both smiled, but they both looked stressed. "You have to take the deal."

"I know." She whispered, flattening her ears against her head. "But I'm scared, Tigerflame. I don't want to spend eternity with him."

"I don't want to spend eternity without you." Tigerflame breathed. "Maybe we can get reborn again. Try for a third life."

A smile tugged at her lips. "Will I be a tom or she-cat in that new life?" She joked.

"Maybe you'll be a tom, and I'll be a she-cat!" He teased, ears twitching.

They laughed, despite his tears and the pulsing fear inside of her.

"StarClan… remember back when we were kits, and all that mattered was just fitting in?" Firepaw meowed softly to him, rolling onto her back and gazing up at the sky.

The moon was high in the sky, shining amongst a series of twinkling stars. The sky was oddly clear- not a single cloud in sight. It was beautiful as always.

"Yeah." Tigerflame sighed, crawling closer to her and laying on his back as well. "You were a lot better at it than me back then. Of course, you were a bully." He snickered. "Even if I go blind, I'll still be a better warrior than that useless lump of fur." He mimicked her.

She giggled, flushing slightly. "I can't believe I had actually said that. Thats actually so funny." She laughed, and poked him playfully in the side.

"Why can't we go back to the time when we were just carefree kits?" Tigerflame sighed, pressing a bit closer to her.

"I don't know." Firepaw meowed softly to him.

"We should really be getting back soon." Tigerflame murmured to her.

"They aren't going to miss us for one night." Was what she replied with.

"Are you sure?" Tigerflame purred, "I'm quite the handsome tom. I bet all the she-cats will be disappointed by my absence."

Firepaw snickered, "As I recall, I was the best looking kit in the nursery back then." Despite her sadness, she had never lost that radiant self-confidence.

"Please," Tigerflame rolled his eyes. "You? The best looking? Thats mouse-dung. Everyone knows I was the cutest and best looking kit in the nursery." He tried to puff out his chest while lying down.

"Do you sometimes wonder if our past selves are screaming in agony every time we touch?" Firepaw purred, looking amused. "I bet Firestar is ripping out tufts of his fur in the sheer horror of my snuggling, and in his case, his snuggling with his greatest enemy?"

"Imagine Tigerstar's reaction." Tigerflame snickered. "He would probably kill a whole clan of cats, fight a whole horde of badgers, just to prevent us from touching. Oh great StarClan." He looked so amused all of a sudden, bursting into laughter. He laughed uncontrollably, eyes wide as he choked for air.

Firepaw huffed. "Do you think you're funny?"

"No." Tigerflame nodded, trying to look serious. "I know I'm funny."

"Oh, StarClan." She rolled her eyes.

Tigerflame whimpered, suddenly looking depressed. "I'm going to be going on a journey soon." He whispered, flattening his ears against his head. "I'm going to miss you so much."

The ginger she-cat flushed, smiling and looking embarrassed at the same time. "I'm going to miss you a lot too." She whispered to him.

The dark tabby pressed against the she-cat, smiling softly into her fur. He couldn't resist. "I'm going to miss you more." He mumbled into her fur.

"No, I'll miss you more." She giggled, amused.

He snickered. "I'll miss you most."

She let out a humph.

"I win."

She just let out another humph.


	33. Thirty-Two: Fire

_Thanks for all the reviews! :D :D I can't believe that we are at 500! -squeals- I'm so happy! Thank you guys so much. Honestly, I never believed that I would even reach 100, much less 500. You guys are the reason I keep on writing. Thank you guys sosososososo much! And a (late) happy Thanksgiving to all you who celebrate it! ^.^_

...

The world was a blur. The ginger she-cat tried desperately to focus her vision- but to no prevail. Half-closing her eyes, she tried to just concentrate on her breathing. In. Out. In. Out. Her ears were pricked, trying to pick up noise, but were unable to hear what she wanted them to hear. A thin ring of white surrounded her dilated pupils. Her body was stiff as she sat, trying not to cringe. The only comfort she had was the warm presence beside her. Tigerflame.

The broad-shouldered dark brown tabby was sitting beside her, his shoulders squared and jaw locked. His eyes were fixated on Highledge as well, but his thick-furred tail was wrapped loosely around her shoulders- a subtle sign of comfort. His pale amber eyes were half-lidded as well, and she could feel practically feel his exhaustion. The two of them were extremely exhausted- having stayed up all last night and just talking, crying, and laughing. A strange combination.

Then- what she was waiting for. A skinny gray tabby tom nodded once before padding out of the leader's den, his golden-furred brother following close behind. They both looked grim as they padded down the winding trail. Jayfeather even stumbled once, but recovered swiftly, straightening himself up and looking solid and dignified once more. Yet nothing erased the unsmiling looks on their faces.

"We leave… tomorrow." Jayfeather meowed quietly, ears flattening. "I'll be going with Ivypool, Tigerflame, Foxleap and Hazeltail. Foxleap and I have made the journey before, I personally requested for you and Ivypool to come, and no doubt Bramblestar assigned Hazeltail as she will be there to maintain a calm, level-headed atmosphere." he snorts, huffing in irritation. "As if I can't keep it cool."

Normally, they would have snickered at Jayfeather's absurd comment, but the mood was too grave for that. Instead, the dark brown tabby nodded curtly. "Will we be going to the old forest as well?" Tigerflame meowed, his voice calm. However, Firepaw noticed that his tail was quivering with stress and fear.

The silky-furred gray tabby shrugged. "We'll see, once we arrive at the Tribe. If we talk to their ancestors and they point us in that direction, then we will. If not, we will just return." He sounded so nonchalant about it, Firepaw looked a bit anxious. The gray tabby then stiffened, turning towards the ginger she-cat. "I'm sorry Firepaw… but you're…" He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. The tabby tom may have a sharp tongue, but he couldn't bear to remind the she-cat that there was no other option than to cripple herself.

"I know." She finished for him, eyes steely. "It'll be fine. I'll be fine." With that, she felt herself tremble hard. Tigerflame looked sympathetically at her, and she couldn't help but lean forward and dab her nose against his lightly. "See you tomorrow." She murmured, before turning away, feeling crestfallen.

"Aren't you going to stay for the clan meeting?" Tigerflame meowed to her, looking worried. "Bramblestar's going to tell everyone that we will be leaving on a journey soon." He blinked hard, looking tired and his eyelids looking heavy.

Lionblaze glanced at the state of the two. "Why not you both go to sleep?" He suggested, shrugging lightly. "I know you normally don't sleep through these things… but I think he'll make an exception. Bramblestar will just be speaking about how there will be a journey- and he won't reveal anything we spoke about. Especially nothing about a certain shadowed forest."

His advice earned nods from both cats. With that, the two twined tails momentarily before pulling away. Tigerflame glanced at her, and she glanced at him. Their eyes locked for a heartbeat before both of their eyes grew misty with exhaustion again and they stumbled apart.

She had hoped everything was a dream. That Tigerflame was going to stay here with her. That she wouldn't have to take the deal. But it was real. She blinked once, feeling as if something exploded in her ear. She took a step forward, feeling as if thorns were coating the floor and just embedded themselves in her soft pink pad. She lowered her gaze, feeling as if claws were raking themselves across her eyes, threatening her with blindness.

As she stumbled into the apprentice's den, she realized how haunting the emptiness was. She had thought that Bramblestar would make Tigerflame and his littermates stay there with her- but apparently the warrior's den still had space left, and so the three were allowed to sleep with the other warriors. Sighing heavily, she looked around the den, feeling a piercing loneliness.

She wished that Tigerflame would come and wrap himself around her- but she knew he was probably half-asleep already in his nest in the warrior's den. Still- she hoped. But she felt nothing but a haunting loneliness and a throb of pain against her chest. Eyelids heavy, she decided to finally give in, and with a weary sigh she rested her head against her paws and slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.

…

Bright golden light splashed across the clearing, creating dappled patterns across the floor as they passed through the cracks of the branches of the dens. It's sleepy rays seemed to not only be basking every cat in it's comforting, warm, presence, but also tugging at their eyelids, forcing them to wake. Cats began to stir, some widening their jaws and letting out sleepy yawns, others stretching their bodies and shaking their fur out. All of them smiled pleasantly at the nice weather, yet the thought of their clanmates going on a journey that could be potentially fatal threatened to tug their lips down into a frown.

To her great surprise, Firepaw awoke with a warm presence wrapped around her. Dark brown fur mottled with her ginger fur, and she blinked, her vision finally sharpening. _Oh, StarClan. How long have I been asleep? _It was the next day already. Her claws slipped out of her sheathes and sank into the moss as she stretched in a graceful manner. A sleepy murmur came from beside her, and she realized that in all of her surprise, she failed to notice the sleeping body beside her, its flank rising and falling peacefully.

"Tigerflame?" She meowed, hearing her disbelief in her own words. Despite him sleeping- his features were unmistakable. He had the same chiseled, handsome features, with angular cheekbones and a strong jaw. All stress was wiped off of his face as he continued to snore softly in his peaceful slumber. She felt a twinge of guilt as she reached a paw forward and prodded him awake.

The dark tabby shifted his weight, pressing his face into the moss. Slowly, he lifted his head and began to grumble irritably. "I'm tired, Blossomfall. Why do we have to train so early in the… oh." Flushing a red color, he noticed the amused smile that had settled neatly onto the ginger she-cat's face. "Hi, Firepaw." He meowed, leaping to his paws in an effort to look awake and ready, only to bang his head on the roof of the den. Letting out a yelp he crouched down, rubbing his head softly while a small whimper made its way out of his throat. In all the business, he failed to notice the smirk that had already stretched across her dusky pink lips.

"You're a mess." Was all she said, but the smirk didn't leave her features. He tried to look annoyed, but failed utterly. The dark brown tabby just leaned forward, rubbing his cheek warmly against hers with a purr rumbling in his throat. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to go to sleep in your own nest."

He looked embarrassed. "I wanted to see your sleeping face one last time, but I was so tired I slumped down in the nest and just… fell asleep beside you." He admitted, looking flustered. She blushed but let out a little laugh as well. "Anyway… I guess I should be going." With that he drew himself to his full height and shook the bracken and moss out of his pelt, rasping his tongue over his chest. He flicked her lightly with his tail to indicate his wanting her to come with him, and she obliged, leaping to her paws and padding after him.

When they left the den, they heard murmurs ripple through the camp. Some cats were smirking at each other lightly, a glint of amusement in their eyes along with a goading look. Others looked happy; like Lionblaze as he smiled softly at the couple. Some were serious- and with a sigh, she recognized that _of course_, Jayfeather looked solemn as usual. She predicted the gray tabby was capable of having fun- but always pulled on a serious face when she was around. He also seemed to like interrupting her conversations. Firepaw had even sprouted the theory that he did it just to annoy her.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highledge!" At Bramblestar's summoning yowl, cats began to stream out of dens and sigh in content at the warmth of the sunlight as they settled down comfortably around Highledge.

"Did you guys… sleep in the same nest last night?" Squirrelflight meowed, looking shocked. Motherly protection immediately flared up in her gaze, and she glared firmly at Tigerflame. He shifted his weight uncomfortably, shooting a glance at Firepaw. His mouth was in a little circle and his eyes were wide and questioning. _Help? _

"We did, in fact." Firepaw replied to her mother, trying to look as dignified as she could. She had to suppress the amused laugh that was threatening to pour out of her throat when the ginger she-cat stiffened abruptly, and awkwardly wedged herself in between them. Her belly, slightly swollen with kits, slowed her down as she tried to keep up with their pace at the same time as keeping them apart from each other.

"Oh, let them walk together." Bramblestar chided her from his spot on Highledge. His eyes twinkled as he gazed at his daughter and Tigerpaw. It was pretty clear to Firepaw that the two brothers had _not _told him about the reincarnations the previous afternoon. When Squirrelflight just huffed but didn't move, he pointed out, "It's the last time that they will be able to in a while, at least." Finally, with a pointed glare at Tigerflame, she shifted out of the way. He blushed but didn't make an effort to move any closer. Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Firepaw padded to his side and felt the familiar touch of his fur on hers, his muscles rippling against hers.

Firepaw walked besides the dark tabby. She felt very formal all of a sudden, so she tried to lift her head. She knew that she should probably sit down amongst the rest of the crowd, but something held her back. She just didn't want to leave his side- only wanted to feel the warmth of his body pressed against hers for as long as she could. The deal was like a thorn that was wedged deeply into her pad. It was so deep she couldn't get it out, scratched her often, but she had accepted with a deep reluctance that she could not remove it, just like she could not decline the deal.

Jayfeather was standing beneath Highledge, his fur looking the same as always. Besides him sat Foxleap, his bright fox-red ginger fur gleaming in the sun as well. Although, it was scruffy near the top of his head. Hazeltail looked neat and groomed, while Ivypool's fur looked the same as always- except a bit neater. Tigerflame touched his nose lightly to Firepaw's ear before withdrawing from her side and padding towards them.

She felt a pang of loneliness as he left her side. However, she stepped backwards and reluctantly stepped back into the crowd. She settled herself down next to Hollyfrost and Spottedfur. The two looked sad as well that their brother was leaving, their ears drooping. Yet, they felt better than Firepaw did, of course.

"Today, five of our clanmates will be leaving on a journey." Bramblestar began, nodding solemnly. "Jayfeather, Foxleap, Ivypool, Hazeltail and Tigerflame." At the last name, an overwhelming sense of sadness washed over Firepaw. "They will be going to the Tribe of Rushing Water, as Jayfeather wishes to speak with their ancestors on important matters."

"Why?" Spiderleg called out from the crowd of cats.

Thornclaw added in, "What does he want to ask?"

"That is for Jayfeather, the tribe's ancestors and me to know only." Bramblestar replied coolly. "They will be leaving for approximately a half-moon to a moon. While they go on their journey, Spottedfur will assist Leafpool, that is, if she needs it." Firepaw noticed that her spotted gray friend looked happy at the prospect of being able to assist in medicine.

Lionblaze nodded solemnly, and he stepped back from the patrol. "We wish you well on your journey. Good luck, and come back safely!" He meowed to them.

Jayfeather locked eyes with his brother, a rush of emotions flooding between them. With that, they nodded farewell and stepped away. Foxleap's eyes raked the crowd for his father and siblings, and he offered an excited smile that held a touch of sadness. Hazeltail bounced a little on her paws, waving her tail in farewell to her family. Ivypool leaned forward and brushed cheeks with her sister, and Firepaw heard a soft murmur.

"This time I'm the one going on the journey." Ivypool purred jokingly. Dovewing's eyes twinkled as she wished her sister good luck. "I'll be back soon! Be good to your mother!" The kits squealed with excitement, and tried to climb onto Ivypool, but Dovewing held them back with a sweep of her fluffy gray tail.

Tigerflame was last. His gaze swept over Hollyfrost, Spottedfur, Cinderheart, Lionblaze, and lastly… Firepaw. He looked as if he wanted to run to her, but he stood there, rooted to the ground. His pale amber gaze was full of affection as he offered her a faint smile. He seemed to mouth the words, _I'll miss you. I love you. _She purred loudly. _I love you too._ She tried to mouth to him, hoping he would be able to tell. He smiled again, before turning away. The patrol slowly headed out. One by one, they slipped out of the exit to camp. Tigerflame craned his head and locked gazes with Firepaw once more before he stumbled away.

Just like that he was gone.

Firepaw felt her heart twist. She wanted to cry, but she forced herself to hold it together. _He'll be back soon. _She reassured herself.

"Clan meeting dismissed." Bramblestar meowed, ears twitching. "Carry on."

Lionblaze bounded forward and began to assemble patrols. Clan life carried on as normal. Except for the absence of the patrol of five cats, of course. She had hoped her mentor would train her to get her mind off of Tigerflame, but he looked busy as he organized the patrols. She sighed, ready to turn away, but the golden tabby bounded forward, intercepting her.

"Firepaw, I know you're going to be lonely as the only apprentice…" He meowed slowly, but his eyes gleamed with warmth. "But Hollyfrost, Spottedfur will be accompanying us to the mossy clearing and we can practice battle moves together. You'll be a warrior before you know it."

"Okay." She meowed, nodding at him.

Despite the absence of Tigerflame at her side, she felt a little better. At least she still had a supportive mentor and Squirrelflight's wariness this morning showed that she did care for her. Firepaw purred warmly, hoping to keep the deal out of the mind. But she couldn't.

There were four sunrises left before she had sealed her fate.

An awful fate, at that.


	34. Thirty-Three: Tiger

_TOmygosh! Thank you guys so much for all the reviews/favs/follows!_

_This chapter may seem kinda useless, but thats just because it kinda is. xD Its just there because I realized ThunderClan has no more apprentices once Firepaw was gone, and I was like... oh woops, so I decided to find two new apprentices l0l._

**_Review Replies:_**

_Shira the Mage: Her kits are called Silverkit (tom), Dawnkit, Shadekit and Fernkit (she-kits), and Firepaw will get her warrior name soon. ^_^ _

_So Cheesy: Hehe, thank you. :P I tried to make it angst-y. _

_RedSparrowOwl: Haha, your comment made me laugh. xp Breezepelt totally knows how to get dem ladieez, ^.^_

_sailorraven34: Thank you! :)_

_Brightfur: Wow. Thank you so much for reviewing on so many chapters. 0_0 Also, yeah, hehe, Firekit was very mean to poor Tigerkit. xD _

_Wood Cats: I'm sorry for not replying to your review last time! :O I must have skipped it by accident. ): To reply to your previous chapter- Firepaw's fate does suck, but its part of the plot. I know you might not be really happy about it... but its important. Not gonna say more, because that would be a spoiler. ^_^ I can tell you this though, there will be a happy ending (kinda). :D_

_Coralstorm: I'm sorry for not replying to your review! Ahhhh! I can't believe I skipped two! :(( I'm so sorry. I'm glad to hear about your friend being better ^_^ Also, yeah, I didn't really plan on a BreezexFire type of love-thing, I had originally planned more of a kidnap/blackmail type relationship. Hehe. Also, congratulations for typing 100 pages in Wolven! :) I don't read that series/book, so I'm not really sure what its about. + Hehe, that plan is good. But Breezepelt wants her to do the instant kill thing, where she doesn't die of her wounds but instead like just lays still. Like a killing bite or something that they do to prey. (I think that means you die like almost instantly... Not sure.)_

_DaughterOfTheHuntress: Hehe. But what if there is no other way? Dun dun dun... But there will be an overall happy ending. Also, Squirrelflight having kits isn't really the 'big deal' that Firepaw makes it out to be. xD She's just having first child syndrome or whatever its called. Hehe. I think the little kits will eventually grow on her when they're born._

_Starlit River: Thank you! :)_

_kate23816: ;~; Everybody is so upset about the offer. Hehe. But there will be an overall happy ending to the story! :D_

_Bobbie1776: Whew. Dang. It seems like you got a lot of hatred for Breezepelt, xD Also, thank you. I tried to make it sweet. 0:_

_MistClan505: Me too. D: Poor Firepaw. + Thank you! :)_

_SwiftStar of ThunderClan: I thought that thirty-two was pretty decently written as well, hehe. :P_

...

Sunlight dappled the earthy forest floor. New-leaf was truly here. As the breeze brushed past, it warmed them instead of chilling them to the bones. It also held a sweet aroma of flowers and berries along with it. The forest was also alive with noise. Birds were chittering to each other as they hopped around between branches, occasionally pausing to chirp their short yet beautiful melodies. If you were to listen close enough, the soft squeaks of mice were to be heard, along with the rustles of leaves and soft thrumming of their paws against the floor.

However, there were no meows. Once they had left the camp, the mood had dampened. Of course, excitement and anticipation crackled in the air like thunder, but that didn't prevent them from falling silent. They shuffled through the forest awkwardly. Silently. None of them were all too excited about leaving camp for a half-moon, having been told the previous night, _and _having to stuff those revolting traveling herbs down their throats.

Well- all except Tigerflame, as he had been late. The amber-eyed tom was, like the others, rather excited, but found that he could not tear his mind away from the petite ginger that he had left behind. His heart was wrenched in guilt, and he couldn't even find the reason why. Perhaps it was because his being reincarnated was what had caused this whole dilemma in the first place. However, he had tried his best to separate himself from Tigerstar. Surely fate would pay him _one _favor, allowing him to be with Firepaw, if not now, but at least during the afterlife?

Sighing heavily, he swerved his gaze around. Ivypool was standing next to Jayfeather, guiding him around any stray bramble tendrils or fallen branches. Hazeltail and Foxleap were padding close to each other- but they were making sure that their pelts didn't touch. He noticed with a faint _mrrow _of amusement, that when Foxleap accidentally brushed his pelt against the gray-and-white she-cat, that she had let out a squeak of surprise and bounced away, blushing a red color- almost as dark as the color of Foxleap's pelt. They were practically fizzing with anticipation. For the journey, for a deeper friendship, he didn't know He had actually never noticed the two of them being friends.

Then again- Tigerflame had always been in his own sort of world, hadn't he? Every time he saw Firepaw, it seemed as if the world melted away and all he could see was her. She was special to him. In a way, he was obsessed with her. However, he wasn't obsessed like Breezepelt. He wanted what was best for her. He hoped for her happiness. Yet… to imagine a life where she permanently hated him, a life where she didn't know that he existed… would his life still be on the same path? Would he really have chosen light over dark? Good over evil? Shuddering, he suddenly felt a chill.

Sighing, his gaze flitted to Jayfeather and Ivypool. They seemed to have started up a conversation- one that wasn't completely serious for once. Was that a glint of humor he noted in Jayfeather's eyes, or was it just the sun's reflection? He could also hear purrs from behind him, indicating that Foxleap had finally caught his confidence and begun to speak to the pretty she-cat next to him. Or maybe they were just chatting.

He opened his jaws to speak as well, then realized with a pang of loneliness- that nobody was near him. Jayfeather and Ivypool were at the front of the patrol, Foxleap and Hazeltail were trailing at the back, and he was awkwardly in the middle. Sighing heavily, he wished that Firepaw was here. He wondered how she was, back at camp. He hoped that she wasn't as lonely as she was.

As they padded through the forest, he began to get mixed feelings. He felt homesick, yet excited. He felt worried, yet fearless. He felt bored, yet delighted. Groaning loudly, he just rolled his eyes and trudged on forwards, twitching his tail in irritation. They hadn't padded out of ThunderClan's territory yet- in fact he was mildly surprised at how large the territory was.

After padding silently for a while, he heard Ivypool's call up front.

"We're at the horseplace!" The silver-and-white tabby reported, her pelt fluffing up. "Do you guys want to stay for a while?" At her meow, Tigerflame immediately nodded. He didn't know how far they had padded, but his paws were sore and he wanted to sit down. Ivypool didn't seem to be looking at Tigerflame, but her dark blue gaze was fixed on a pale gray-and-white she-cat hanging in the back next to Foxleap. He blinked, confused. Then he remembered, a while ago, Cinderheart had told him that Hazeltail's father was a tom called Smoky- and he had lived in the horseplace.

"Yeah." Hazeltail meowed, suddenly sounding shy. "Lets stay for a while." She looked almost embarrassed, and began to rasp her tongue over her fur, trying to give herself a quick grooming. Foxleap gave her a friendly nudge of encouragement. She was probably frightened at what she would see.

So the patrol padded forward, ears twitching. They approached the horseplace warily, eyes alert for any horses or rogues. When they didn't scent or see anything out of the ordinary, they entered it. Tigerflame was surprised. It wasn't quite as big as he expected, with a small bowl for water, another for kittypet food, and a lot of spiky yellow grass or stick-like things.

Hazeltail was the first one to venture deeper in. She poked her head in, green eyes slightly worried. As Tigerflame stepped in, he sniffed warily. This was a scent he knew all too well. There was a milky, sweet scent in the air. It smelled exactly like the nursery back in ThunderClan!

He noticed the gray-and-white she-cat stiffening in surprise at the scent, her tail twitching and her eyes changing from shy to reproachful. They padded deeper in, and they saw with surprise, a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat lying on a bale of the yellow stuff, two kits at her stomach. She blinked her wide amber eyes sleepily at them, but then stiffened in shock. Immediately, a muscular gray tom bounded towards her, his fangs bared. He looked ready to attack… until he gasped.

"Hazeltail?" Was his shocked meow.

The gray-and-white she-cat didn't seem all too comfortable with her father, but awkwardly replied, "Hi Smoky." Her tone was curt, cool. Some of the excitement of seeing him had been wiped off of her face as she saw the tortoiseshell, her body wrapped around two small kits.

"We're on a journey," Jayfeather cut into the conversation, seeming uncomfortable as well. His body was stiffened, and his jay-blue eyes were focused on the kits, despite his being unable to see them, "we will be traveling to the tribe. We have just stopped by to hello…" He trailed off. Tigerflame understood how awkward it was for him to say that. They had stopped for Hazeltail to greet him- only to find him, his most likely new mate, wrapped around two kits.

"Oh." He replied, looking surprised. Then his blue eyes were warm as he turned to his daughter. "How would you guys like to stay for a while? I'm sure Coriander won't mind."

The tortoiseshell seemed slightly wary, her body still curved around her kits, but she replied with a friendly tone, "not at all." Nodding at the bowl of water and pellets, she cheerfully added, "in fact, you guys can eat if you want. The hay is pretty comfortable to rest on." She seemed so oblivious to the tension and the awkwardness between Smoky and his daughter.

Jayfeather and Ivypool exchanged a glance. They must have both noticed that Floss was gone, and that Smoky had replaced her like that. However, instead of asking like Tigerflame had expected, Ivypool just nodded.

"Thank you." Ivypool dipped her head kindly to her. Tigerflame did as well, relieved that they were hospitable at least. She padded backwards, ears twitching. "I can see you're tired. You should rest on the hay." She advised Tigerflame, tilting her head to the side. _Hay. So thats what the yellow stuff is called… _The tabby tom nodded to her and padded to find a comfortable stack of hay to rest on, but made sure he was still close enough. He was curious to see what Hazeltail's reaction to Smoky having a new litter of kits would be. She seemed quite friendly to Rosepetal. Maybe that was because at least her mother raised her- and she felt a stronger bond with Daisy.

"So… Hazeltail." Smoky meowed, voice uncertain. "Coriander is… my new mate." He glanced at her warily. "Those are our two kits." He paused for a heartbeat, his eyes flickering around Hazeltail's face. "The tom is called Smoky, after me, of course, and the she-kit is called Rowan."

Hazeltail was silent for a while, just staring at them. Finally, she seemed to swallow hard, and by the look in her eyes- Tigerflame could see just how distressed she was about this. "Are these kits going to be taken away? And what happened to Floss?" She meowed, her voice rough.

"She died." He informs her somberly. Then, he seems to perk up, adding, "Coriander replaced her. She's a great mouser. And… the mother to my kits- which by the way, will not be taken away. Not if I can do something about it."

"Replaced her?" The gray-and-white she-cat snapped, eyes flashing, looking furious. "How could you just _replace _her like that? She isn't just some nest that you built! You can't just _replace _her!"

Smoky looks taken back, eyes wide and bewildered. "Why not?"

"Because she's…" Hazeltail was speechless, eyes wide, looking completely angry. "Ugh!" She hisses in frustration, and slinks away from her father. "He's such a fox-heart." She mutters to herself, looking miserable and angry all at once. Tigerflame can tell that she's miserable because her father was so shallow, and also because she had new half-siblings.

Foxleap immediately bounded towards her, looking concerned. "Are you alright?" He meows, his voice gentle.

Hazeltail hisses at him. "Of course not!"

Tigerflame, the only one who hadn't spoken yet, warily got to his paws and ventured towards Coriander. She looked bewildered and alone, as Smoky sat down, looking bewildered as well.

"Hi…" Tigerflame meowed awkwardly.

Coriander looks up at him, amber eyes warm. "Hello."

He sits down. "These are your kits?"

"Yeah."

"How old?"

"Almost six moons."

"They're pretty old then?" Briefly he thought about his kithood, and how he had opened his eyes so late. He hoped these kits had opened their eyes already.

"Yeah." She meowed him.

Rowan was the she-cat. She was slightly smaller than her brother, but not by much. She was a tortoiseshell, ginger and white she-cat, although her pelt was mostly ginger. She had pale paws and black ear-tips. Smoky was the tom, and was an exact mirror image of his father. He had the same thick white pelt with gray patches, except he had a single ginger paw.

Coriander seemed to notice his examining the kits. Feeling awkward, he casually meowed, "they're cute."

"Thanks." She replied, twitching her whiskers. "I think so too."

Smoky padded hesitantly to Hazeltail, looking sullen. "I'm sorry, Hazeltail…" He trailed off, eyes casted down at the ground. "I didn't know you would be so upset." He waited for a reply, but she just stared back at him, her face hard. "I hope this doesn't anger you more… but since the twolegs are going to be taking Rowan and Smoky away soon… We've been hiding them… but I think they saw them the last time they were here. We're thinking about taking them to ThunderClan. I just… is that okay with you?"

"Why are you asking me? I'm not Bramblestar." Hazeltail snapped. With that, she lashed her tail. "Let's go."

Tigerflame leapt to his paws, glad to be able to leave. The awkwardness and tension was almost too much for him to bear. As he padded out of the den, he heard Jayfeather and Ivypool calling out awkward farewells and thanks.

But he wasn't thinking about that.

A purr rumbled in his chest as he thought about ThunderClan. About Firepaw.

Hazeltail may not be pleased that the kits are joining the clan, but he was. And he was sure Firepaw would be, too. Finally there would be new apprentices! Firepaw wouldn't be the only one… and then maybe she wouldn't be as lonely.

Tigerflame couldn't help but purr, just thinking about how happy Firepaw would be when her new den-mates had arrived.


	35. Thirty-Four: Fire

_Sorry for the slow update! This chapter is about Rowan/Smoky joining ThunderClan. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! Here's the next chapter! ^-^_

...

The sky was a dark, stormy gray color. Clouds dappled the air like fluffy white sheep, contrasting to the stormy gray color of the sky. Icy sheets of rain poured down on the earth, some droplets clinging to leaves, others sinking into the earth.

"Intruder!"

A yowl split the air, and a golden-furred tabby whirled around, eyes wide in alarm. The one who had cried the alarm was a brown tabby, and flanking him was a pale ginger she-cat. Their fur was on end, a thin ring of white around their eyes, pelt bristling.

"That way!" Lionblaze meowed, opening his mouth and tasting the air. He glanced around at the ginger behind him, who gave him a nod. They raced forward, tails streaming and fur slicked back by the rain. They tried to keep a firm grip on the ground, however it was hard as the mud squelched beneath their paws and they sank downwards each time they took a step.

As they neared the border, they saw two shapes slinking through the snow. On their sides were too smaller cats, both shivering and eyes wide.

"Mother its cold!" One of them complained, flattening his ears against his head. The one on his right, probably his sister, let out a surprised squeal as a droplet of water rolled off of a leaf and splattered right on her neck. The fur on her spine lifted as she shivered hard.

"Stop right there!" Birchfall yowled, dashing forward. The patrol skidded forward in front of the other patrol of four, their fur fluffing up. Lionblaze's eyes widened in alarm as he stared at the muscular gray-and-white tom in front of him, and he stared in utter shock. Obviously, he recognized the muscular tom.

Firepaw tilted her head to the side, bewildered, as her mentor stepped forward and greeted the tom.

"Smoky…?" Lionblaze meowed warily, whiskers twitching, "why are you here?"

"I'm here with my kits and Coriander, my new mate." He replied, ears flattening. "I ran into Hazeltail and her patrol. I told them already what I'm going to tell you." He shivered and stiffened, looking cold. His fur was almost black, it was so wet. "The twolegs are going to be taking my kits soon… so I wanted to bring them to ThunderClan, so they could at least be with their other littermates."

Firepaw blinked, "how old are they?"

"Six moons." Coriander meowed shyly, speaking for the first time. Her voice was soft, like a whisper, but her gaze was round and frightened.

"Apprentice age." Lionblaze remarked.

"They both look healthy," Birchfall added, ears twitching.

"ThunderClan is low on apprentices…" Seedpelt added, eyes gleaming.

"Alright. We'll take you to Bramblestar." Lionblaze decided, his amber eyes scanning over the cats. "Follow us." He beckoned them with a flick of his tail, and the patrol padded after them.

Firepaw bounced a little with excitement, overjoyed that there might be new apprentices. She fell behind, so that she was padding next to the two younger cats. One of them had sleek tortoiseshell and ginger fur, and the other was gray-and-white. "Hi." She introduced herself, eyes warm. "I'm Firepaw."

"Thats a weird name." The tom replied boldly. Sniffing haughtily, he meowed, "I'm Smoky."

"Isn't that your fathers name?" Firepaw inquired, wondering if the tom was playing a joke on her.

"Yes… I'm named after him." He spoke in an exaggeratively slow drawl, as if he was speaking to a mouse-brain. She felt a flash of irritation and resentment. If he was the apprentice that was going to be joining, she didn't think she would be too happy with that. "And thats my sister."

"I noticed." Firepaw replied curtly.

The tortoiseshell she-cat was less bold than her brother, but wasn't shy. "I'm Rowan." She meowed cheerily, glancing at Firepaw with a friendly look in her eyes. "Sorry about my brother. He can be a real fluff-brain sometimes."

"Hey!" Smoky scowled, shoving his sister hard. She stumbled a little on her paws, immediately flattening herself down and staring meekly at the ground.

Firepaw watched the exchange with wide eyes. Smoky was a bully! "Hey!" She snapped, wedging herself between the two littermates, "you can't just shove your sister like that!" _You need to cherish you siblings. Trust me. I made the mistake of not doing so._

"Who are you to tell me what to do." The gray-and-white tom snapped arrogantly, rolling his eyes and lifting his nose in the air. This tom was more arrogant than Berrynose!

FIrepaw bared her teeth. "Well, you are on _my _territory. Not to mention my being older, and my ability to easily squash you."

"Oh yeah?" Smoky snarled, drawing himself up. She widened her eyes- the gray tom seemed to be quite large. But he wasn't as big as her, "want to prove it?"

She hissed, "you're not worth getting into trouble over." With that, Firepaw shouldered him hard, sending him stumbling to the side and storming forward to her mentor. As soon as she reached Lionblaze, she nudged his shoulder lightly with her muzzle, eyes like twin flames, "I hate that tom. He's a mouse-heart! He's mean to his sister and he acts as if I'm _below _him. He's more arrogant than Berrynose!"

"I'm sure he isn't that bad…" Lionblaze soothed her, gently touching his nose to her ear, "he'll probably get nicer once you get to know him."

"Doubt it," Firepaw scoffed, voice dripping with scorn, "but I'm not going to get close enough to him to find out." With that she let out an irritated huff, shook out her pelt, and the two of them just walked in silence. She felt something brush her side, and saw a smaller she-cat.

Her dark blue eyes were miserable, "I'm sorry about my brother." She muttered an apology, sighing heavily, "he's always been like this. Smoky, our father, always seems to spoil him with extra prey and he lets him do whatever he wants to. I guess my father is just happy to have a little mini him running around."

"How could anybody be happy to have that fur-ball as a son," Firepaw snapped, looking doubtful. Then her eyes widened as she seemed to realize that Rowan was the sister of the gray tom and lowered her gaze apologetically, "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

Rowan sighed, "It's okay." She murmured, "I know he's a fluff-brain. But he _is _my brother and I do care about him. Once our parents leave… he's all that I'll have left." Her shoulders seemed to sag as she fell back, obviously wounded by Firepaw's harsh comment about Smoky. The flame-pelted she-cat felt awful as she stared back at them. Smoky was still swaggering around as if he owned the lake, but Rowan looked miserable and kept casting sad glances at her parents and Smoky.

Groaning in exasperation at the guilt churning in her stomach, she turned around and padded towards Rowan. "Hey, it'll be okay." She reassured her, eyes blinking warmly. "My father is the clan leader- that means that I hardly get to see him either. My mother is pregnant with another litter, so most of her attention will soon be on her new kits. My best friend is off on a journey. I know what it feels like to be alone." She left out the part about her sister, deciding against telling her that.

Once they entered camps, gasps of surprise seemed to arise in the air. Cats glanced at one another, disbelieving. Three cats especially, two cream-furred cats and his gray-and-white brother.

"Smoky?" Mousewhisker gasped.

"Who are those two?" Berrynose cut in, eyes flashing in surprise. His eyes were fixed on the kits.

"Who's _that_?" Daisy gasped, her voice sharp as she stared in disbelief at the red-furred she-cat at Smoky's side.

Lionblaze and Birchfall bounded towards Bramblestar, probably to tell him the full story. Seedpelt shifted her weight awkwardly, shuffling out of the way. Smoky began to explain again.

Firepaw wasn't listening, she just glanced at Rowan. Rowan still looked sad. "They don't want us here, do they." She muttered, flushing with embarrassment and awkwardness. Looking down at her paws, she sat down with a heavy sigh and shuffled, whether on purpose or not, a bit closer to Firepaw. The ginger she-cat stared in surprise as her fur lightly brushed Rowan's. The smaller she-cat didn't seem to mind. Firepaw realized that she didn't seem to mind either.

She suddenly felt a rush of emotions as she stared at her, and the ginger she-cat began to morph in front of her eyes. She watched in fascination and horror as her pelt took on a dark brown tabby color, her black ear-tips turning ginger, one single paw turning white. Her features twisted into a pretty smile, one that had belonged to her own sister. Her pelt was soft and warm.

"Owlpaw?" She whispered, eyes brimming with tears. Owlpaw-Rowan just seemed to keep smiling, her beautiful amber eyes glowing as she stared lovingly at her sister.

She hadn't realized how much she had missed her sister.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highledge!" The loud yowl jerked her out of her trance, and the dark fur melted off, revealing a tortoiseshell and red pelt. Amber became blue, the smile becoming a frown. Rowan seemed to trail away from Firepaw, but Firepaw let out a strangled gasp.

"Wait!" She called after Rowan, suddenly feeling as if she couldn't leave the younger she-cat's side. "I'll sit next to you." With that, Rowan shot her a confused but also delighted look. The two sat together in front of Highledge.

"Smoky has asked for his two kits to join the clan, as their half-siblings are here." Bramblestar meowed carefully, his eyes gleaming. "They will be taken away unless we accept them. So I have decided that the two of them can stay. Young Smoky," He beckoned towards the younger tom.

Suddenly, his cocky facade fell off. The gray-and-white tom trembled slightly as he padded forward, eyes wide in worry.

"From this day on until you earn your warrior name, you will be called Smokepaw. Your mentor will be Mousewhisker." He nodded curtly at the father of the kits, Smoky, and the muscular tom seemed to nod in thanks. Firepaw assumed the mentor being Mousewhisker was by request. "I hope Mousewhisker will pass down all he knows to you. I believe, Mousewhisker, that you are ready to take on another apprentice. Spiderleg has taught you well, and you have shown courage and determination. I hope you pass down all you know to Smokepaw." Bramblestar meowed.

The two half-siblings touched noses awkwardly before withdrawing to the edge of the crowd.

Rowan left Firepaw's side, looking nervous. She nodded encouragingly at her.

"Rowan, from this day on, until you earn your warrior name you will be called Rowanpaw. Your mentor will be Berrynose." Smoky smiled again, and Firepaw knew that both of the mentors were by request. Berrynose didn't look pleased at all. "I hope Berrynose will pass down all he knows to you. Berrynose, you are ready to take on an apprentice. I have taught you well, and you have shown courage and determination. I hope you will pass down all you know to Rowanpaw." Bramblestar finished.

The two touched noses.

"Rowanpaw! Smokepaw!"

"Rowanpaw!" Firepaw cheered enthusiastically. "Rowanpaw!"

As the red tortoiseshell padded to her side and smiled warmly, Firepaw purred. She vowed that she would protect Rowanpaw, and make sure that the little she-cat would _never _feel as lonely as she did.


	36. Thirty-Five: Tiger

_Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! I was so tired when I was writing this chapter- maybe thats why Tigerflame seems so exhausted and listless in this chapter lol. :P _

_Anyway, on to the review replies:_

**_RedSparrowOwl: _**_yeah, he did pretty much replace Floss. ): Also, I started writing this before Bramblestar's Storm came out, so I didn't start out with all of the updated allegiances and so on. I still haven't read it actually. D: Also, yeah, it will be interesting to see how the whole Berrynose mentoring Rowanpaw thing will turn out. :D_

**_Coralstorm:_**_ I don't know how Floss died- don't think it was specified in Bramblestar's Storm. I don't know who replaced Floss either, if it was Smoky or the twolegs. :P Also, the sentence about Rosepetal was because Rosepetal is Hazeltail's half sibling as well, and Hazeltail didn't seem to hate her, so Smoky thought there might be hope for his kits (Hazeltail's other half-siblings). Also, what do you mean by 'animal pairings?' o.O_

_**Swimming Trees: **__Haha, yup. Smokepaw (or was it Smokypaw? I don't remember) will probably have a soft side, but we won't be seeing it just yet! :D_

**_MapleXstorm:_**_ Thank you! :D I tried to make it cute- its in a sort of way that Firepaw realizes she does miss her sister, and kind of gets all sisterly about Rowanpaw. Hehe. They're adorable._

**_BEST OC Maker: _**_Thank you! :D_

_**sailorraven34: **__I really like Rowanpaw too. She's got a really innocent, cute personality. + They will stay friends... or will they? (Jk, they definitely will be staying friends.) xD_

**_TheFanfictionMaster: _**_Yeah... Smoky got the Berrynose attitude. -huffs in irritation- _

**_billy the cat:_**_ yeap! :D Thats precisely the reason I decided to add Rowan/Smoky hehe. xD_

**_QLKwriter:_**_ Well she'll be off on the journey, so she won't have to deal with her half-siblings just yet. Imagine how surprised she'll be when she comes back and her brothers are the mentors to her half-siblings._

**_AngelxCloud (kate23816): _**_ikr. yay Firepaw! ^.^_

_**Bobbie1776: **__xD The struggle is so real. One Berrynose is already a handful, but another? I paired Smokypaw (or was it Smokepaw? Honestly I need to remember this character's name D:) up with Mousewhisker instead of Berrynose because I figured that a Berry/Smoke mentor/apprentice bond would be too much. The clan isn't ready for their combined arrogance yet._

**_Stealthstar of Stealthclan:_**_ yeah she is! :D Rowanpaw is like Firepaw's like new sister-like figure. :D_

_**poopadoop: **__ikr! Rowanpaw is such a cutie. :3_

**_Lazy watermelon:_**_ Rowanpaw is adorbs, I agree. I paired her up with Berrynose for a reason, though. :D This is so that Berrynose will influence her to be a little less shy and a bit more arrogant, and Mousewhisker will help Smokepaw be a little less arrogant and a bit more calm. I think. Also, I don't really see why not, but I'd prefer if it wasn't the name Riverpaw. It's not that the name is bad or anything, its just that I prefer it if it had a different name, because I personally don't really like it when its a character's name has the same prefix as a clan name. __River__paw, __River__Clan. But any other name and I'll add her/him! ^_^_

**Starfrost515: **It would be sad. D: But at least Rowanpaw's still got her brother (as annoying as he is), her new half-siblings (if they end up getting close) and Firepaw! :D

...

It was pre-dawn when Tigerflame had awoken. He awoke to a dull, throbbing pain in his ache in his stomach, longing for a mouse. He wasn't content at all. It seemed like he hadn't slept the whole night- plagued by nightmares and horrific, bloody visions of what would happen if they had _failed_. His mind was whirling with worry for Firepaw, torn between his love for her and his determination to save the clans. Not to mention the fact that they had walked quite far yesterday, and his pads were scratched and paws had felt like heavy stones by the time they finally crumpled down and agreed to take a rest.

The young tom was also tingling at the tenseness between the four cats, and how awkward it was after they had left the barn and Hazeltail had been seething quietly, Foxleap uncertain of how to make her feel better. He hoped that today Hazeltail would seem more relaxed, and as he glanced at her through the corner of his eye, he sighed in relief as she saw a little smile tugging at the edges of her lips. She looked perfectly content, except for the slight droop of her eyelids that indicated that she was almost as exhausted as Tigerflame was- she had obviously been up late last night, just thinking about Smoky. However, he was glad that she had, because now she seemed to look a lot less angry and much more relaxed, the topic of her father, his new mate and kits far from her mind.

As he unsheathed his claws and sank them into the soft soil, he arched his back as he stretched, letting out a noisy yawn. His amber gaze flitted curiously around, taking in a good look at where they really were. They were sleeping beneath a large tree, the undergrowth thick around them and concealing them from twolegs and most other predators. The nests were messy and not-too-comfortable, but they were alright.

"Hey, Tigerflame," Hazeltail meowed, her voice quiet, "lets go hunt for them while they're still sleeping, the faster we eat, the faster we can get going, the more ground that we can cover again." Her gray-and-white pelt was slicked down and he noticed that it was slightly damp, although not soaked, as they had managed to arrive here only a short while after the rain had begun. It didn't seem to dry fully as of the thick fog creating dampness in the air.

The dark brown tabby nodded his agreement, "okay," he whispered back, before quietly slipping out between the cracks of the brambles, hoping to be quiet and not to wake them. To his dismay, he sent the whole shrub quivering as the twigs rattled. To his great relief, Ivypool and Jayfeather continued to sleep, and although Foxleap stirred, he did not wake. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hazeltail roll her eyes incredulously before flattening herself down and crawling under the brambles, successfully staying quiet.

"Great StarClan, could you be any more loud?" Hazeltail meowed, sounding exasperated. The dark brown tabby just huffed, whiskers fluttering, before the two of them padded forward. They were close to the twolegplace, so close in fact, that he could hear a faint roar of a monster in the distance and could see the outlines of twolegdens and thunderpaths in the distance. However, they were also close to a forest-type area where there were a few trees and brambles, and as he opened his jaws he could taste prey.

"Well… where do you want to hunt first?" His question trailed off as the gray-and-white she-cat suddenly dashed forward, pelt fluffed up and her eyes narrowed in determination. He pounded after her, trying to make as little noise as necessary. What was it she scented? Curiosity bit at him, and he had to constantly remind himself to stay quiet or else he would scare away whatever it was she had scented.

As he had finally caught up to her, the gray-and-white she-cat had already dropped into a hunting crouch. Her ears twitched as she paused momentarily, focusing. She twisted her neck around and fixed Tigerflame in a strong gaze, warning him to stay silent. Then she slid forward like a snake, slipping into the undergrowth and disappearing out of view. He waited, and sure enough, heard a surprised squeak from the mouse.

Satisfaction coursed through him, despite the fact that it wasn't his kill. Deciding to make himself useful, he wandered away from Hazeltail and took a deep breath, scents flooding up his nose. Nodding to himself and feeling satisfied as he scented a sparrow, he swiftly spread his senses to try and pinpoint his prey. Soon enough, he found himself padding towards a grove of trees, following the bird's chirping noise and scent, and saw it pecking at a small acorn on the ground, its wings folded back.

He smiled smugly, _perfect_. With that, he dropped into a low crouch, curling his tail over his back. He made sure his paws were light as he slid forward, eyes narrowed in concentration. The forest faded into a darker color, nothing existing except for him and his prey. Predator to victim. Hardly even daring to breathe, he pushed from his hind-legs, shooting himself into the air and landing with deadly precision square on the sparrow's back. His paws flattened its wins while his fangs swiftly delivered the killing bite, a clean and neat nip to the spine. A painless, clean kill.

After the bird lay limp at his paws, his vision seemed to return. He saw the bright rays of sunlight filtering in through the cracks of the branches and leaves, brightening the forest. Branches swayed in the wind, the twigs rattling and leaves rustling as the breeze brushed past. The fresh scent of sparrow blood mixed with soil entered his nose, and he crinkled it slightly- but not in disgust. It was a scent he was used to now. He noticed how green the forest was- the leaves a soft, but gradually darkening green color, the bramble twigs each covered in multiple leaves, soft grass sprouting from the earth, morning dew clinging to the tips. New-leaf was truly here- all traces of the icy coldness and frozen world of leaf-bare were wiped away by the fresh warm breeze.

Deciding that the one sparrow wasn't enough, he scraped some dirt over his prey. A sly grin spread across his face as he pricked his ears and opened his jaws to taste the air once more, heading deeper into the forest as he followed the scent of his prey.

…

By the time the two of them had met up again, it was already dawn. Hazeltail looked satisfied, three mice dangling from her jaws, while Tigerflame held his sparrow and another vole. The hunt was clearly successful, and the dark tabby felt a tingle of happiness run up his spine- the prey here was abundant, the weather was warm, the sun was shining and the breeze was warm. At least some parts of this journey, of leaving ThunderClan, and more importantly Firepaw behind, would be decent.

"Nice catches," Hazeltail mumbled around the three mice of which she held currently in her jaws, nodding contently at the prey that he was holding, "this will be enough to feed the five of us." With that, she padded forward, paws thrumming against the against the ground as she picked up her pace. Tigerflame darted forward to catch up with her, hoping to break the ice and maybe even become friends.

"So, why are you up so early?" He asked her as casually he could with prey in his jaws, but he could feel the awkwardness, almost as if it were a taste in his mouth that lingered and refused to leave, "just like to look at the view of pre-dawn?"

He heard a muffled purr as she shot him a glance. "Actually, I couldn't really sleep," she confessed, eyes round, "this whole journey thing is really bugging me. I mean why are we going on a journey? Why now? Hadn't we already defeated Tigerstar and the Dark Forest?" He could understand her confusion- as Bramblestar did not give any details to why they were going on this journey. Her body was stiff as she walked, lowering her head in exhaustion. "Wont these journeys… these battles ever end?"

"Not yet," Tigerflame meowed softly, too quietly for her to hear, but later on added in a louder voice, "there will always be bloodshed as long as the clans are alive. But think on the bright side- you're going to get to see the mountains for the first time, and then you can go back and boast to Berrynose that you've been to the mountains and he hadn't!" Cheekily, the dark brown tabby tom added, "besides, this way you've got a whole half moon to travel with _Foxleap._"

"I suppose it would be cool to show off to Berrynose for once, as he's _always _showing off to me and Mousewhisker… wait, what?" Hazeltail's sentence ended abruptly as she stared in shock at Tigerflame, flushing a crimson color, "me and Foxleap? Thats ridiculous. He's a mouse-brain. I don't like him. Gross." She spoke rapidly, averting her gaze from Tigerflame and fixing it on the ground.

He snickered at how embarrassed she looked. "Sure you don't," he teased her, waving his tail in the air. It felt good to talk to someone, relaxed and away from the clan, away from thoughts of Tigerstar and worries about Firepaw.

Hazeltail didn't reply, just rolled her eyes and huffed in irritation. Her eyes then widened as they neared the camp, and she picked up her pace and began to bound forward, almost bursting into a run. She slipped carelessly through the brambles- even if they weren't awake, they should probably be waking up by then. When they got back, Foxleap was still snoring peacefully on the ground, while Ivypool was looking at him with a disgusted look on her face, and Jayfeather was deep in thought- as usual.

"We brought back fresh-kill," Hazeltail announced as the two of them dumped their catch in the center of the gathering. The gray-and-white she-cat snorted in irritation as she saw Foxleap still asleep, and padded over to him, pulling back a paw and then swinging it towards his face, "wake up Foxleap, you lazy lump!" The fox-red tom let out a yelp of surprise and leapt to his paws, shaking bracken out of his pelt. He blushed fiercely as he saw the glances of amusement aimed at him, before ducking his face and meekly licking at his chest fur.

As every cat settled down with a piece of prey lying before them, they began to talk about their plan for the day. Tigerflame was lying down, his paws tucked beneath his chest, a mouse lying before him. He didn't gulp it down ravenously, but picked at it, so comfortable that he didn't ever want to get up- thus causing him to eat slowly and play for more time.

"We have a lot of ground to cover today," Jayfeather announced loudly, as if wanting to make sure that every cat could hear him. "We need to get to, if not there, but very near to the mountains today, so we can start climbing tomorrow."

"Which way are we going to go?" Ivypool asked, ears twitching. Her meow was directed at Jayfeather mostly, as Foxleap was dozing off, sitting next to Hazeltail. The gray-and-white she-cat looked exasperated and shoved him hard again, and he let out a muted yelp of pain before straightening himself up.

"Lets head go around the twolegplace," the gray tabby tom decided, jay-blue eyes looking slightly worried, "I don't want any incidents involving twolegs, or any injuries coming from the thunderpaths. Cats have died on that thing." He said it so casually that Tigerflame widened his eyes in surprise, especially because at that statement a chill had run up his spine, just at the thought of it. Standing there- paralyzed, nothing else to do but watch as the monster roared towards you, ready to slam into you and drive your life entirely out of your body.

Sitting there and discussing, the dark brown tabby tom began to feel sleepy again, his neck beginning to fall slack and his head tilting. He forced himself to remain an upright position, and struggled to prevent his heavy eyelids from closing. Sometimes when he blinked, he would let his eyelids remain shut for a few heartbeats before opening them again, cringing at the horrid thought that he would finally be able to sleep… after a whole day of walking and navigating. Not to mention that he would probably be sleeping without a comfortable nest, and to be plagued by nightmares and worries, _again_.

Foxleap leapt to his paws, swiping his tongue over his whiskers. "Let's go," he exclaimed, amber eyes bright with excitement, "I know where to go- I've gone to the mountains before!" He added excitedly, bouncing a little on his paws. The rest of the journeying patrol got up. Foxleap was practically bursting with excitement, Ivypool looked enthusiastic, and even Jayfeather looked quite eager to finally be able to see the tribe, and probably do some medicine cat stuff that Tigerflame didn't really know about.

Only Tigerflame and Hazeltail remained unexcited, both of them letting out yawns, forcing their heavy eyelids open. They forced themselves to their paws, their muscles aching and bodies weary as they stepped forward slowly, almost swaying on their paws. They exchanged tired glances, the both of them looking sleepy. It was clear that the two of them lost the adrenaline they had while hunting earlier, and now were just filled with nothing but exhaustion.

They set off forward, making sure to steer clear of the Twolegplace. Foxleap was chattering excitedly to Ivypool, telling her how wonderful and amazing the mountains were, while the younger she-cat replied with great enthusiasm of how she couldn't wait to see it for herself. Jayfeather occasionally piped up, speaking of how they had helped the tribe back when he was an apprentice, but mostly he was silent. The three of them were in the lead, with Foxleap making most of the decisions and Jayfeather backing him up.

Hazeltail and Tigerflame padded behind them, their tails twitching. They had eaten and were quite content, and Tigerflame opened his mouth to talk, but then decided against it. He was tired already, and didn't want to exhaust himself even more by engaging in conversation. When the gray-and-white she-cat tired of his company, she was welcome to go talk to Foxleap and the rest of the patrol. However, she didn't leave his side, and the two just walked in silence.

As they padded forward, Tigerflame tried to keep track of where they were going, the turns they were making. Right, straight, straight, straight, left, left, straight, right, left… He had lost track after a while, but he knew they were going on the right path. Most of the thick fog had faded, along with the dampness of the air, and in the distance he could make out a blurry outline of tall, huge shapes that jutted out of the ground. The mountains.

He twitched his ears, watching the sun. They had been walking for a while now, and it was sun-high. However, Jayfeather clearly had no obligation to allow the patrol to rest and eat, as he padded forward relentlessly. The sunlight was strong, beaming against the leaves and into the small puddles of water left over from the previous night, reflecting its shimmery shape onto the smooth surface of the water.

He closed his eyes for a heartbeat, just breathing in the fresh air, the chittering sound of birds and the conversation from in front of him, the crunching of soil and leaves, the soft feeling of the soil sinking down beneath his heavy paws. It was relaxing, in a sort of tired, painful sort of way.

"I'm hungry," Hazeltail meowed after what seemed like forever, and he heard the grumble of her stomach, "I wish Jayfeather would let us stop and eat. It's already noon." With that she pointed her tail at the sky, where the sun's bright rays had dimmed slightly, but the warm feeling of it on their fur hadn't faded yet.

"I guess we'll be stopping at moonhigh or something," Tigerflame meowed, shrugging his shoulders, padding forward, "but on the bright side, we've walked _really _far today. There hasn't been any distractions. Its almost eery."

Hazeltail's eyes widened, and she nodded in agreement. "I know! Today has been so quiet and calm… I bet that just to play a trick on us, tomorrow we'll run into like three foxes and a dog or something, just to delay us because we had covered so much ground today." She meowed, ears twitching.

"Careful, you'll jinx it," Tigerflame meowed to her, but didn't sound wary nor angry in the least, "I'm just grateful that since we don't have to run from crazy dogs and wild foxes, this way I won't be as tired. I didn't get enough sleep last night to be running as fast as I can away from dangerous animals trying to rip me apart." He joked, but it was true- he really didn't feel as if he had enough energy to suddenly burst into a run in a desperate attempt to escape from a predator.

Hazeltail nodded in agreement, "tell me about it. I hardly slept during the last night, I'm so tired I can hardly even keep my eyelids open!" She exclaimed, tail drooping against the ground, "maybe it was because Foxleap was snoring so loud, maybe it was because I'm just stressed about the journey."

"Probably both," Tigerflame chuckled, sounding amused, "honestly, Foxleap's snores are louder than a monster's roar!" Hazeltail giggled, but nodded hard in agreement, looking amused as well.

The two of them chatted until the sun had begun to set, the moon slowly replacing it. The sky was a dark blue color by then, a few stars twinkling in the sky, the moon bright. There weren't many clouds that dappled the sky, but the moon wasn't shining as bright as usual tonight. Maybe an omen, maybe just random.

Suddenly, Hazeltail flopped down. "I can't take it anymore. Lets just stop." Her voice was loud, loud enough for the three patrolling cats ahead to hear. Foxleap twitched his whiskers as he turned around, his pelt gleaming in the gloom. Jayfeather looked as if he wanted to protest, but Ivypool interrupted him with a meow of agreement, "I'm tired too," she meowed wearily.

"We should set up a camp-like place around here," Foxleap agreed, nodding. Tigerflame raked his eyes around the area- they were still somewhere in the forest, but ahead there was a large tree that seemed to be hollow, and a small space to squeeze in. Foxleap seemed to notice as well, and bounded forward. He twitched his whiskers. "It's too small for us to fit in, but we could rest underneath the tree. Someone will have to keep watch though- there isn't much protection."

"I'll keep first watch," Ivypool offered, dark blue eyes gleaming with determination. The patrol nodded and flopped down, resting momentarily.

"We should really send some cats to hunt… and some others to gather moss." Jayfeather meowed, yawning heavily. "I'm going to go find some dock to see if I can help treat our sore pads," he lifted up a paw, exposing the tender pink flesh that was rubbed raw, and grimaced, "it'll make them feel a lot better."

Hazeltail breathed a sigh of relief and gratitude, "thank StarClan," she mumbled. "I'll go hunt."

"I'll join you," Foxleap offered, eyes glowing. She nodded, and the two of them padded side-by-side into the forest.

"I guess I'll go herb hunting with you then, Jayfeather," Tigerflame meowed awkwardly, "maybe I can look for moss while you look for your… uh… herbs." The gray tabby tom seemed to roll his eyes, but nodded nevertheless.

The gray tabby tom started padding forward, turning his head around and fixing Tigerflame in an impatient gaze. "Lets go then," he called, and the dark brown tabby tom bounded forward to catch up with him, "I'm going to get some dock, it shouldn't be too hard to find, since we are in a forest." He sniffed at the air, and nodded in satisfaction to himself, before padding forward into the deeper undergrowth.

The dark tabby charged after the ThunderClan medicine cat, blundering into the undergrowth. _Thank StarClan I'm not hunting. That probably would have scared away half the prey in this part of the forest! _Jayfeather was crouched down, nosing at some plants, looking triumphant. He bit off a few stems, and began to put them in a stack as he collected it. _Great. Jayfeather found his herbs, but where am I supposed to get moss? _Without even raising his head, he meowed, gesturing to a tree, "go check around the roots of the tree over there- they're bound to have some sort of moss."

Not pausing to wonder how he knew exactly Jayfeather seemed to know what he was thinking since he had lost his powers, the dark brown tabby padded to the tree that Jayfeather had gestured to. The medicine cat was right! Glancing at the roots in delight, he realized that there was indeed moss on them, and he swiftly began to scrape it off and roll it into a ball. He didn't think it would be too comfortable, or enough, so he bit off some pieces of bracken and rolled that into a ball as well. Struggling to hold them both, he slowly walked towards Jayfeather, holding the ball of moss in his jaws and rolling the ball of bracken forward by nudging it.

By the time the two of them got back, Hazeltail and Foxleap had arrived as well. There was a shrew and a vole left. The two of them were sharing a squirrel, while Ivypool was chewing on a mouse- still looking alert. Jayfeather dropped his herbs, while Tigerflame dropped the moss and bracken. The cats who had already eaten quickly finished up their meal and began to create the nests, while Tigerflame and Jayfeather flopped down and began to eat.

"Chew up the dock and apply it to your scratches." Jayfeather instructed, as he began to drop a dock leaves in front of each cat. Tigerflame did as he was told, chewing the dock into a poultice and applied it to his sore, scratched pads. He hissed slightly in pain at the stinging pain of the dock, but it eased into a comforting and soothing sensation that made his pads feel better.

Yawns were heard as all the cats padded towards their nests, except Ivypool. The silver-and-white she-cat was awake, her dark blue eyes alert. "I'll wake up Foxleap for the next watch." She announced, and the red-furred tom nodded at her. He slumped into his nest, which was placed quite close to Hazeltail's, and within a few heartbeats Tigerflame heard his breathing even and his body relax. Hazeltail was still awake however, and her eyes locked with his through the gloom.

Jayfeather was curled up in his nest, his flank rising and falling peacefully- although Tigerflame doubted that the gray tabby's dreams were just catching mice.

The dark brown tabby tried to fall asleep, but found that in whatever position he tried, he was uncomfortable. Forcing himself to lay still, he began to count the number of stars in the sky that he could see until his eyelids grew heavy and he felt himself begin to slip into unconsciousness, sleep washing over him.


	37. Thirty-Six: Fire & Smoke

_Thank you for all the reviews/favs/follows! I can't believe we are at 80 favorites, 500-something reviews, and 100 follows! Gosh, I don't even know what to say. I'm so grateful to all of you for supporting me! :D 3 Thank you so much!_

_Anyway, a quite note. Smokepaw may not be what you guys expect from him, and his personality may seem very odd to you and confusing- but it will be explained/revealed with time. Also, keep in mind that Smokepaw will be very important throughout this plotline. :3 This chapter may also be confusing because there is a lot of POV switches ._. so I'm sorry about that. But I really like this chapter, and I __reallyreallyreallyreally__ can't wait to write more about Smokepaw because I think the part he's going to play is super important and interesting._

...

"Do you think it would be okay if Rowanpaw came with us on patrol, Lionblaze?"

It was with an overwhelming sense of envy that Smokepaw watched the she-cat talk with her mentor. The young apprentice's pelt was groomed neatly, her dainty body seated directly in front of her mentor's body. A surprised look crossed his face, but a pleasant smile tugged at his lips as he gave her a nod of agreement, "sure, I'll go ask Berrynose right now."

The young gray tom had narrowed his eyes as he saw the apprentice sitting by herself. However, she never looked lonely, simply lost in her thoughts. After a while, her eyes seemed to clear and they trailed across the clearing in a desperate search for a red-and-white tortoiseshell whom Smokepaw knew all too well. Rowanpaw.

A familiar sense of jealousy bubbled up in his stomach, and he had to force the angry scowl off his face. The two sibling's parents had left the previous afternoon; mother crying and father giving words of advice. Just like that, the two kits were practically orphaned. Yet fate seemed in Rowanpaw's favor, as that apprentice had taken her under her wing, and they were _always _together.

The previous day, Rowanpaw and Firepaw had padded out of camp on patrol together, their pelts pressed together, muscles rippling against one another. They were closer than best friends. Closer than him and Rowanpaw. They were like sisters who had grown up together, who had grown up loving one another. But they weren't. _Smokepaw _was her sister. _He _was the one who had twined their tails together when she had awoken from a frightful nightmare. _He _was the one who had reassured her it would be alright before they left. It was all _him_, not Firepaw. Yet two sunrises after meeting her, his sister seemed completely bewitched by the older apprentice.

A nasty scowl had settled itself on his face, and he couldn't bear to watch the ginger she-cat anymore. He didn't know if it was jealousy he was feeling for Firepaw, since she was so close to _his _sister, or if it was the jealousy he felt for Rowanpaw, as she was so close to the older apprentice, and seemed to be fitting in so well.

Getting to his paws, he began to prowl around the clearing, paws restless and tingling with irritation. He wanted to claw something, to push off the ground in a tremendous leap and skim across the forest floor. To feel the breeze running through his fur, the soft crunch of leaves and earth beneath his paws, the adrenaline pumping through him.

However, as he tilted his head to the side and fixed his sister and Firepaw in yet another intense, burning gaze, he felt all the thoughts about himself running free in the forest evaporate. Rowanpaw was so cute and innocent, he thought. With her perfect round eyes and soft fur, and that cute little smile that often tugged shyly at the edges of her lips- she didn't know how pretty she was. Pretty like an angel. Firepaw, was the exact opposite. She seemed to _know _her beauty. She was stunning, with clear emerald-green eyes and beautiful sleek flame-colored fur. Unlike the shy smile his sister possessed, hers was impish, sly. She wasn't as angelic or innocent, but wasn't any less beautiful.

Wandering around camp, he briefly paused at a puddle, staring at his own reflection. He had sharp, harsh features, unlike his sister's soft ones. Angular cheekbones, sharp triangular ears. He noted himself to be quite handsome. Despite his not being as fit as most other clan-cats, he smirked a little as he saw the muscle rippling beneath his thick, glossy pelt with each step he took. He stared back at his beautiful, round eyes. He too, shared in the angelic beauty that his sister so delicately possessed, but it was hidden beneath the sharp, angry scowl. Hidden by that hate-filled, scornful spark in his beautiful amber orbs.

However, he didn't mind. He didn't think of his angelic features as irritating, nor did he think of his scowl and hate were tainting his purity. He thought it all fell into place- like a puzzle. A small smile stretched across his face as he tilted his head, pondering about it. It was true, he did have the face of an angel, but he had the heart of a demon. Wild, untamed, _not afraid to kill_. And yes, it was true, he could use his angelic features to bewitch those of an innocent heart, yet could still use it to bewitch those with a tainted soul.

An icy cold smile replaced the small one, and his eyes were like chips of ice as he stared forward. Ever since he was a kit, he was full of contempt of his mother, of his father. What cowards they were- hiding away in that barn, with those housefolk who had fed them, not brave enough to ever flee. Smokepaw knew he would never be a coward. The gray-and-white tom knew that he was too good for that, for them. He was too good for this clan, in fact. However, with a twitch of his whiskers, he decided that this clan could be his new playtoy- if not now, then later.

It was true, Smokepaw was just an apprentice now. But soon enough he would be a warrior- an amazing one at that. He was handsome, talented, fast, and skilled. After he would become a warrior, the clan leader naturally would gift him with an apprentice. Not a blessing to him, but a blessing to the apprentice. It wasn't often that a young cat was lucky enough to be taught by someone as smart as him. Afterwards, senior warrior. Then naturally, the deputy would step down, as it was only fitting _he _be the next leader. If he were lucky, then the leader would pass on his leadership- yet if he was not… His gaze flitted to his claws, and a cruel, not-at-all remorseless look came in his eyes. If the leader didn't allow him to seize control of the clan, then there would be one option left- for him to _die_.

After all, it was only fitting for a cat as great as Smokepaw to become leader, right?

…

"Why is your brother staring off into nothingness," Firepaw meowed, looking startled by the intense fire that was burning in the younger apprentice's eyes, yet also the icy calmness as he stared solidly forward, his gaze fixated on something that wasn't visible, "it's sort of creepy."

The red and tortoiseshell she-cat beside her didn't seem to be surprised, just shrugged her shoulders. She padded lightly towards Firepaw, her black-tipped ears twitching and blue eyes round. She followed the older apprentice's gaze to her brother, who was sitting, his muscles tense, body poised to strike, a hungry, intense gleam in his eyes as he stared at something before him- something he could see, yet wasn't visible to any others.

"I don't know," Rowanpaw admitted, twitching her ears, "I guess he just likes to be deep in thought or something like that. Or maybe he conjured another fantasy about himself being the best and all that. He has a very high sense of self-worth."

The ginger she-cat couldn't help herself. "I know," she muttered, lashing her tail in irritation, "that tom thinks himself to be the greatest creature in all of the lake and StarClan. Forget StarClan's blessing- more like the dark forest's blessing." She snickers a little at her own joke, but hears no response to Rowanpaw. She is worried momentarily that she had hurt the fragile she-cat's feelings, then remembers belatedly that the blue-eyed she-cat didn't believe in StarClan or the Dark Forest.

"Well, he's coming on patrol with us," A golden tabby tom meowed, padding up to the two chatting apprentices, looking slightly amused, "Firepaw, I know you hate him- but try to be civil, okay? And Rowanpaw, I'm sorry but you won't be coming on patrol with us because Berrynose is going to be taking you out hunting."

Both she-cats looked crestfallen, Rowanpaw more than the ginger she-cat. Firepaw was already silently seething, shooting her mentor the most narrowed, hate-filled, angry glare that she could. Why would Lionblaze force her to patrol with this tom? This tom with the inflated ego that seemed not to care about anything aside from himself? She had done her best to ignore him ever since she had first met him, her eyes narrowed in hatred and disgust every time she saw him.

As the gray-and-white tom got a nudge from his mentor, a pleasant smile crossed his face. He got to his paws, his gaze locking with Firepaw's. He strolled towards her as if he were the leader of ThunderClan, his pawsteps graceful and muscles rippling beneath his thick pelt. It was odd that he was so muscular- being a barn cat. His sister was so skinny that she had hardly any muscle on her.

"Hello, Lionblaze," he greeted the senior warrior politely, dipping his head courteously. Then, his gaze fell on Firepaw. He seemed completely different than the last time they had spoken. His eyes brightened, a smile lighting up his features. He lazily drew his eyes over her pelt. He seemed to be taking in every strand of fur, every curve, every streak of color. When he lifted his gaze, he seemed to stare into her eyes, and Firepaw tried not to get lost in his eyes. "Hello, Firepaw," his voice was bright, cheery, but the sickening sweetness of it made the ginger she-cat want to gag, "aren't you looking pretty today?"

The ginger she-cat had to force herself not to strike a paw forward and slash it down his cheek, but took in a deep breath and tried to contain her anger. Gritting her teeth, she forced out an angry mutter, "just go talk to somebody else. I'm not interested in you or your inflated ego." With that, the she-cat forced herself to tear her gaze away from the tom and to busy herself in staring at her mentor. There was something tugging her back to him, to stare at his dazzling amber eyes once more, that fake yet so angelic smile, his neatly groomed yet so ruffled pelt. In order to busy herself, she counted _every _stripe on her mentor's pelt, forcing her mind off of him as they awaited Mousewhisker.

The gray-and-white tom, pelt similar to his apprentice and half-brother, bounded towards them after a while. "Sorry," he apologized, blinking his blue orbs, "I hadn't eaten this whole morning and was completely famished, so I had a mouse." Mousewhisker flicked his tail at his apprentice, beckoning him towards himself before the two of them padded forward. Lionblaze padded forward as well, with a harsh nudge at his apprentice as she sulked, walking gloomily behind the rest of the patrol.

There was something about Smokepaw that just seemed so odd. It may be the way he looked so focused at her, as if he were stripping her down with his eyes, and yet they were so clouded, that he was so lost in his own fantasy that he couldn't see her as others would see her.

She didn't know what it was, but it frightened her.

…

Smokepaw didn't mind the coldness of which Firepaw had addressed him with. Of course she would be ice-cold, after the harsh meeting they had the previous day. That day he was in an angry, kit-like mood. He had thrown a tantrum the morning before leaving, bawling and screaming with his piercing cries that he did _not _want to leave. And yet, now he was here, and he felt no longing to return to that dreadful, piteous place of which he had once called home.

The tom didn't mind having to wait. He was patient. He had a whole life-time to wait for her, and soon, very soon, she would be his. Soon enough, they would all be his. For he was more powerful than their so-called silly StarClan. He was more fierce, more deadly than their so-called Dark Forest. He had a heart that longed for love, but possessed an equal longing for blood. Blood for what- he didn't know, but he had always had a sick fascination.

Perhaps it had begun when he was a moon old. That day, his parents had given him a mouse and warned him not to play with it before eating it. His spoiled, kit self threw a tantrum about that, and of course the rebellious streak, and his inflated ego told him that he was better than his parents and could do as told. So he took the mouse, and he delicately scratched his small claws across it. It was warm, freshly-killed, and it had _bled_. The blood soaking his claws had put a sick, yet insanely happy smile on his face for days.

The young tom had been taught to hunt at an early age. Catching mouse in that barn was the furthest thing from difficult. They were so pathetic and fat that he could catch it without even putting any effort- a single swipe of his paw, if lucky, would knock over some mouse that happened to be passing by. But he never killed them. Not before playing with them a little. He would often slice his claws across their fur, to mutilate and make them bleed, before ending their miserable lives. He wasn't fascinated by blood, he was _obsessed _with it.

…

Firepaw unease only grew as Smokepaw's gaze lingered on her pelt, refusing to leave. They had padded for quite a while, and although she was chatting with her mentor, every time she turned around she saw that Smokepaw's intense gaze was fixed on her pelt. As they neared the RiverClan border, Lionblaze's eyes widened in alarm.

"A RiverClan patrol is on the other side of the border," Mousewhisker reported, his ears twitching as their own patrol neared the border. The patrol was lead by Reedwhisker, and there were four other cats with him. Duskfur, Fishpaw, Icewing, and a she-cat that Firepaw didn't recognize.

Suddenly, she felt as if the scorching gaze was lifted off her pelt, and she twisted her head around to stare in surprise at Smokepaw. The gray-and-white tom's eyes were wide with shock as he stared forward, leaning forward slightly, his eyes fixated on that she-cat that the ThunderClan apprentice didn't recognize.

…

That she-cat, who he didn't even know the name of, was the most beautiful creature that Smokepaw had ever laid his eyes upon. Her pelt and eyes more vibrant than Firepaw's. Her features more angelic than Rowanpaw's. She had a spark of the fiery passion and determination of which Firepaw had, but her smile was shy, embarrassed, _pure. _She was an innocent soul- just like his sister. A blush snaked up her cheeks as her gaze locked with his.

He sucked in a breath. She had the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. They were almost a crystal blue, simply dazzling, and he felt himself drawn towards them like a cat towards a mouse. Her pelt was also gorgeous, just as the rest of her. It was soft yet sleek, and was thick and lush. It was a beautiful silvery-gray color by itself, but he could see that it was tinted with a unique yet so fitting blue color that seemed to remind him of her eyes, and of the beautiful lake of which they all depended on for life. She had an angel's smile, so pure, so innocent, but her eyes showed that she was no pushover, and could stand up for herself if necessary, as they were alight with a flame. A beautiful, crystal blue flame.

"Hi," he breathed, his voice shaking. As he leaned forward, he almost stepped over the border before a voice in his head briefly reminded him not to. He saw her blush more fiercely, and he couldn't resist the giddy smile that had stretched itself across his face, "my name is Smokepaw, and may I just say that you are the most fine specimen that I had _ever _lain my eyes upon."

As he spoke, he heard a scoff from Firepaw as she stared at him with a disgusted look in her green eyes. His gaze flickered from the gray-blue she-cat to her, and he almost hissed in disgust. Standing next to this stunning she-cat with her beautiful blue eyes, Firepaw looked as plain, as ugly as any other cat. She was worthless to him now, meaning nothing. All he wanted was that she-cat, and no border would be able to separate him.

If he was greater than StarClan, then he would be greater than some silly code, wouldn't he? Yet, getting her to believe that would be another matter. He could see it in the way she walked, the way she composed herself, that she was as loyal to her clan as a dog to it's housefolk. But he was determined to break that loyalty, to replace the loyalty to the clan with the loyalty to him.

"I'm Frostpaw," she meowed shyly, not even willing to meet his eyes. Oh, how desperately the young tom wanted to stare into her beautiful eyes once more. He was staring at her pelt, fantasies consuming his mind. How much more beautiful she would be, standing next to him. His pelt brushing against his, his muscles pressing against hers, his sharp-tipped ears brushing against her soft ones. He wanted her so much it took his breath away. He had thought that Firepaw was the most beautiful she-cat he had ever seen once, but next to this… this… this Frostpaw, the comparison seemed a beautiful crystal to a pile of dirt.

The rest of the patrol seemed to be staring, startled, at the two apprentices. At the tension that crackled between them, such so that drew Smokepaw to the very edge of the border. He was so close to her, he could almost feel the heat pulsing off her body. He could almost feel the softness of her fur against his own. Her heartbeat mixing with his. She was so unique, so beautiful. He had to have her.

He didn't even hear when his mentor began to strike up conversation with the other patrol. He ignored the fierce, but also confused glare that was fixed on his back from Firepaw. He ignored the flashing, threatening eyes from the white she-cat across the border who seemed protective of the RiverClan apprentice- her mentor, he assumed.

Almost as if she couldn't help herself, Frostpaw slowly inched towards him as well, until their pelts were not even a full fox-length from touching. "Will you meet me?" Smokepaw whispered, not at all afraid to ask. He knew with an overwhelming sense of confidence that she was as smitten with him as he was with her, as he was a remarkable tom. He was not at all afraid of rejection. And he shouldn't be.

Her mouth opened and closed, before a soft sigh slipped out along with a murmur, "okay. Do you want to meet along this border?" she asked him, her crystal eyes locked with his, "but my clan cant find out. I'm a RiverClan apprentice, and I care about the code, StarClan, and RiverClan."

He wanted to tell her that he was greater than StarClan, greater then the code, greater than RiverClan. But he didn't. Biting his tongue, he nodded rapidly. "Of course," he murmured to her, glancing upwards to see if anybody was watching, and grimaced as he saw Firepaw's eyes still fixed on the two of them. So desperately he wanted to touch Frostpaw. "Lets meet on this border tonight," his eyes were focused as he stared at her, and she gave him the tiniest of nods. Then the two pulled back, just as the two patrols stopped conversing.

Smokepaw smiled and smiled.

He had found someone more pure and innocent than Rowanpaw.

More beautiful and spirited than Firepaw.

More fascinating than blood.

Someone that was supposedly off limits to him.

He had found someone that would fill in all the emptiness in his soul.

And he knew that it wasn't just love he felt, but also the dark, never-releasing feeling of _obsession._


End file.
